I Love You, I'll Kill You, A Vampire Love Story
by BrightenStar
Summary: Grace thought that when she went to visit her uncle, she was just leaving England. But when she meets a striking young man, Desmond, she finds that she is in an entirely different world; one full of creatures only talked of in stories.
1. New Home, New People

**Chapter 1**

New Home, New People

When love attacks us, it comes unexpectedly. I learned this the hard way. In truth, I knew that love was going to hit me harder than most. I never liked dating. I always figured that when the right guy came along, I would know, like a light above my head would go on when I saw him. Though, I had to confess—there were not a lot of Prince Charmings in England. None seemed to catch my eye. Maybe I was just finicky. School had always a drag for me, but that was always because of my parents. Sure, they helped out with my studies, though I rarely needed help. It wasn't the studies that aggravated me; it was how my parents acted. My parents were always bossy. I had to get away from the place I lived, and so I did.

Now I was biting the end of my nails, thrilled to finally get away from home. I was far away from my parents, away from school, and free from control. I could finally find the real me I wanted to be. My legs were twitching as the Grey Hound bus led me closer to the place I would call home for the summer. I admit that it took me forever and great effort to beg my Uncle Jeff to persuade both my parents to let me travel across the world and into a different country.

My Uncle lived in Astoria, Oregon. It was a simple place—from what I had heard—unlike England. There was always something happening in England. I had never gotten to visit him since I was baby, since my parents did not like the idea of traveling. They were paranoid about airplanes.

I was the only person sitting on the bus, thinking to myself with a small smile on my face. As I stared out the window of the Grey Hound bus, my smile continued to grow as we drove through the wide grassy lands and mountains and into a nice looking town. It was much smaller than England, which was a nice difference. Though, there was one thing missing: a mall.

My heart was beating fast with adrenaline from anticipation of wandering a care-free place. Well, at least I hoped it would be. I tried not to jump out of my seat when the bus slowed down, confirming to me that we had reached our destination.

As soon as the bus slowed to a stop, I jumped out of my seat and to the door, not wasting time to step out of it as soon as the door opened. I stepped onto the sidewalk, smiling widely as a figure stepped away from the wall he was leaning against.

"Uncle Jeff!" I shouted.

He smiled at me. "Hey, princess," my uncle greeted. "How was the ride?" he asked as I nearly knocked him over when I wrapped my arms around him in a crushing hug. It had been a long time since I had seen my favorite uncle.

I pulled away after a moment, my smile not faltering one bit. "I'm doing alright, considering I'm still jetlagged. A little tired, but nothing that would affect my spirits," I replied with enthusiasm.

My uncle smiled at me. "Why didn't you sleep on the bus, you silly girl?" he asked while he walked over to the bus to grab my luggage for me.

I shrugged my shoulders when he turned around and thanked the driver before walking back over to me. "What do you expect? I mean, this is the first time I've gone _anywhere_ in my life. I should probably thank you for convincing my parents. That takes talent."

"Yeah, well, you can thank me by helping me clean my house." My face scrunched up bizarrely. My uncle shrugged his shoulders, smiling at my strange face.

"I knew you were going to say something like that," I mumbled under my breath, but I think my uncle caught it because he laughed and began to carry my luggage over to a big truck...an old one, might I add. It was one of those cars you saw on the side of the road because nobody cared for it. I was used to riding in a Lexus, not a truck.

I lifted my eyebrow as I walked up to the truck. "What is this?" I could hear Jeff sigh from my reaction to his car.

"This is called a truck. Would you care to find out how it works?" he asked mockingly. I rolled my eyes and opened the door to the passenger side. I froze, feeling cold shiver run down my spine before I began to climb into the truck. I slowly turned my head around, having the sudden feeling that eyes were watching me. I turned around and my eyes grew wide at the image of pure beauty before me.

"Grace? Are you okay?" Jeff asked, realizing my sudden stiff body.

"Who is that?" I asked in a whisper, not believing what was walking down the street. His movements were sly and graceful, almost as though he was barely using his feet as he strode across the sidewalk. His bleach brown hair was long enough that it could cover the sides of his face so that his eyes were invisible. And his face was pale and gorgeous, along with the rest of him. He couldn't have been older than 19 or 20. My uncle noticed what I was staring at and scoffed loudly.

"Eh, that's Desmond, the town wooer of all the girls in this town." My uncle didn't sound like he was happy that I brought up the subject.

"Desmond..." I repeated the name, already liking to say it. "Who is he?" I asked breathlessly. My eyes grew wide again when the dark eyes of the handsome young man glanced to me. I took a step back, a little surprised that he would even take a quick look to me. For a moment I was worried that he had heard me.

"Don't even think about it," Jeff warned, climbing into the truck and slamming the door harder than needed, considering its condition, probably trying to give me a hint.

I watched the mysterious young man tread down the street, and before he turned the corner, he glanced over his shoulder one last time to me, sending me a smirk. My breath got caught in my 

throat, the thought "If looks could kill" running through my mind. I slid into the seat next to Uncle Jeff before closing the door, a look of pure confusion written on my face.

Jeff groaned. "Agh, don't tell me he got to you, too," he complained, rearing the car to a start.

I shook my head, trying to get the perfect image of the young man out of my mind. It was hard to believe he was not in a magazine, he was so good looking. I glanced beside me to Jeff, watching his hands tighten around the steering wheel of his truck, looking like he was lost in thought as we drove through the town, making our way towards the green forest that surrounded it.

"What makes you think he is the town wooer? Do all the girls really like him that much?" I hesitantly asked, not wanting to get on my uncle's bad side within the first ten minutes of our reunion.

He closed his eyes for a second or two, trying to collect his thoughts. "Do you really need the answer from my lips? You took one glance at him and almost lost your mind. I mean, look at the guy! I think you can understand why he's so popular."

I nodded my head. I couldn't disagree with that statement. He looked like he had stepped out of a fashion magazine, but looked even prettier than that of a real model.

"What does his family think?" I asked quickly. Jeff already sounded like he didn't like the guy. He merely blinked at my question, not taking his eyes off the road as we drove through the darkening forest and road, riding further into the darkening woods. "Can I ask you another question?" I asked after a moment of hearing no reply from him.

Jeff didn't reply for a moment, but stared out in front of him, his truck roaring louder as he pushed harder on the gas pedal. "That depends," he replied with a serious voice. Maybe he knew what I was up to. The nice thing I always loved about my uncle Jeff was that he acted more around my age instead of 37. It was a nice change from how my parents acted. All they cared about was me going to college and getting accepted into the best schools around. All it was with them was "Study! Study! Study more!" all during the time I was going to school. I guess they had high expectations since their daughter was an honor student.

"Well, can I ask why you sound like you don't like Desmond? Is he bad or something?" I thought that was pretty straight forward.

Jeff finally turned his head to stare at me, a lost look on his face. "And what gave you that idea?" he asked with surprise.

"You keep sounding like you're giving Desmond the cold shoulder. Don't you remember how you told me 'don't even think about it'? And you didn't sound pleased that I spoke of Desmond when I saw him walking down the street," I spoke, my eyes tearing away from my uncle's lost gaze as he took glances back and forth from the road to me as we zigzagged through the passing trees.

"No, it's not that_ I_ don't like him, it's just...I don't think your parents would be happy with me if they found out you fell for some guy during the first five minutes of your arrival." He smiled, and I knew he was picking on me.

I gawked at him and punched him in the shoulder jokingly. "Punk! I take one glance at a guy who is glaring at me and you automatically assume I'm in love with him. Some kind of uncle you are," I pouted with a small smile on my face and turned back to stare at the quickly passing trees. "And why do you live all the way out here? You live pretty far in the trees. Where are the city lights?" I complained, used to being surrounded by a big city and lots of stores. I would be lucky if I found a mall within a hundred mile radius of this place.

"Get used to it, this isn't the city. I live out here because I like the scenery...and because I can go dirt bike riding." His smile grew wider. I knew it was his favorite past time. His smile quickly faded when he glanced to me.

I continued to stare out the dark window.

"And one more thing, Grace," he continued, catching my attention. I turned my head to look at him. "I don't want you to get involved with Desmond...or any of his family for that matter," he spoke seriously.

I raised an eyebrow at him in questioning. "I thought you just said you didn't mind him," I said incredulously.

He shook his head. "It's not that. But it would make me feel more comfortable if you stayed away from the Cervantes family."

I was a bit shocked that my uncle was worried about a family.

"How many are there in his family?" I asked, suddenly growing very interested in my uncle's comments.

"Oh, don't worry; you'll get to see them in no time." He had trouble finishing the sentence.

"Are the other members good looking?" I asked, not sure if those were the right words.

He coughed a little and nodded his head. "Yes, I suppose you could say that," he choked out. My mind was spinning, suddenly curious about this family. What did the others look like? Were they really as good looking as the young man I saw walking down the street?

By the time I was completely lost in my thoughts, the sound of the engine turning off and the door being opened came, knocking me out of my thoughts. I opened the door and jumped down from the truck and shut the door before I turned to smile and look at the house I was to be living in for the summer.

"Home sweet home," Jeff said with a smile as he grabbed my luggage from the back of the truck and carrying it towards the house before locking the door of his truck. Not that he really needed to or anything. No one would even think of stealing the piece of junk my uncle called a 'truck'. The house wasn't much to look at; just your normal day two story house that was surrounded by trees. The faint sound of a river could be heard as I took each step toward my new home. I walked behind Jeff and into the house, immediately stopping as I watched him take off his shoes. I followed his lead and did the same and hung up my coat next to his on the rack that hung on wall.

"What would you like to eat?"Jeff asked as he strode over to the other end of the house and into what looked like the kitchen.

I followed in pursuit, my stomach growling. I hated the food on air-flights and decided not to eat for almost 18 hours. "Anything is good. I'm starved," I mumbled, taking a seat in one of the chairs in the small living room that was right across from the kitchen.

"Fair enough," he said through a laugh, grabbing the utensils he needed to cook whatever it was. It took me only two minutes to realize what he was cooking: spaghetti. The only thought that came to me was _typical lazy uncle_.

It only took him ten minutes to cook the spaghetti and sauce, setting it in front of me, taking a seat next to me with his own plate. I didn't waste time to begin eating, my stomach already growling from the scent of food. Jeff watched me with amusement while I stuffed my face with food, not even caring that I was looking ravenous.

"Slow down—you'll give yourself a stomach ache," he cautioned. Sure enough, as soon as I began to eat slowly, the affects of eating too quickly kicked in and my stomach ached. My uncle did nothing to comfort me, but instead laughed at me. I downed some of the milk he had given me, not caring that it wouldn't help my stomach ache. By the time Jeff had taken his first bite, I was already done.

"Wow—that was fast. Well, I put your stuff up in the room you'll be staying in. It's upstairs, the second door on the right," he said, and began to stuff food in his mouth. I nodded my head in thanks and stood out of my chair, taking my dishes to the sink before heading out of the room.

"Oh, and Grace," he said. I stopped and turned back around to stare at him. "Don't go into the woods at night," he warned me in a sudden serious tone.

I gave him a strange look. "Where did that come from? Why would I want to go in the woods at night?" I asked, not fully understanding where he was going with this.

He kept his eyes on me the whole time. "I'm just warning you. It's not safe out there at this time of night. There are a lot of dangerous animals out in these woods, unlike there are in your familiar city." At first, I thought he was joking and smiled, but it faltered when his face remained stern, staring at me with speculating eyes.

My eyes squinted when his image became blurry, like I had tears filling my vision. I rubbed my eyelids a bit, trying to wake myself up. His image remained blurred for a moment or two before I blinked a few times and his image was clear once more. I must have been _really _tired. I gulped and nodded my head once more, walking up the stairs and to my new room so I could get unpacked.

It didn't take me very long to unpack my things. I was surprised by how tired I was by 9, almost as though it were around 3 in the morning.

"I guess that's what I get for leaving England," I mused to myself when I climbed into my warm bed that Jeff had made for me. I knew it was a new bed and covers. Jeff rarely had visitors over for the night. I closed my eyes, feeling sleep already begin to wash over me.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes when I began to shiver, a sudden coldness flowing over my body, bringing the sheets closer to me. My eyes slowly opened and turned over to stare at the end of my bed, at the window. I sat up in my bed, my heart beating faster when I saw that the window was open. I remembered specifically that I had locked that window before I went to sleep. My breath was coming out faster in small pants. I began to stand off my bed.

My heart stopped when I had a sudden feeling I was not alone. I quickly stood to my feet, swiftly walking over to the window, but only made it half way there before I let out a gasp and tried to scream, feeling a hand surround my mouth to silence my screams and a hand around my waist that brought me closer to the sudden stranger who was in my room.

I froze in place, feeling a cold breath on my neck, slowly making its way up to my ear.

"Very soon," a dark voice whispered against my ear. The hold around my waist and mouth were suddenly released and I quickly turned to see my invader. My eyes stared in shock when there was no one there. I turned back around to see that the window was now closed.

What was going on?


	2. Superstitious Suspicions

**Chapter 2**

Superstitious Suspicions

When I ran down the stairs, almost tripping over myself, a look of pure horror was on my face. Jeff was downstairs watching T.V., quickly turning to face me when I ran down the stairs and into the television room. He stood up from his chair when he saw the panic on my face, quickly walking over to me when I stopped and had to catch my breath. I was sure I was hyperventilating.

"Grace, what's wrong?!" he shouted, a sudden look of worry falling over his features. He was probably wondering why I was acting like I had just seen a ghost. Maybe I had. I didn't know anymore.

"Slow down, Grace. Take deep breaths," Jeff chanted while I was hunched over, trying to remember how to breathe. It didn't seem to help me at all. Jeff led me over to one of the large sofas and ordered me to sit down and relax. I could do the sitting down part, but the relaxing part was going to be a bit of a challenge. I lay down on the big sofa, closing my eyes, hoping that would help me remember how to breathe regularly.

"Now, tell me what the matter is," he demanded, taking a seat next to me and putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I sighed loudly, finally slowing down a bit. I sat up as soon as I could breathe normally, the look of horror still on my face.

"There was something—something in my room! Go! I don't know what it was, but it was there! I swear!" I was yelling loudly, suddenly forgetting how to control the volume of my voice.

Jeff nodded his head and stood to his feet, grabbing a bat that he had in one of his sports bags and climbed up the stairs quietly. I waited on the sofa, biting my nails; my nerves were on edge. The thought that I had just sent my uncle to his death popped into my head, and I suddenly wished I had gone with him. I contemplated for a moment or two if I should get up and run to be his aide. My head shot to the stairs when Jeff loudly walked back down the stairs.

"There's nothing up there, Gracie. I think you just need some sleep. You've had a long journey and were probably seeing things." He was waving it off as nothing.

I stood to my feet, my shocked look never leaving my face. "No! It was there! I know it was! We need to call the police and tell them that something is out there! Someone who is breaking into houses," I shouted, trying with all my might to convince my uncle that there was something that grabbed me; someone. I knew I wasn't imagining things.

Jeff rolled his eyes and dropped the bat onto his sports bag. "Grace, I am not calling the cops so that they can come over here for no reason. There is nothing up there now—I made sure. I'm sure that as soon as you get some sleep, things won't seem so weird." I couldn't believe it. He didn't believe me!

"B-b-but..."

"Good night, Grace." There was definitely something in his voice that made me know he wasn't happy. I gave him a desperate look, but he ignored it and walked into the kitchen before grabbing a glass of water, chugging it down, and walking past me and up the stairs. I was in awe. Why didn't he believe me?

"Get some sleep, Grace." I heard him call from the top of the stairs. I let out a loud sigh, slowly crawling up the stairs, afraid of what was going to be in my room when I reached it. I made sure to make my steps very quiet, afraid that the 'thing' in my room could hear me walk into my room. I peeked around the door, opening it slowly while I looked around the dark room. I couldn't see anything. My room was probably the darkest room in the house.

"Hello?" I whispered, expecting someone to reply to me while I looked around the room in fright. I took in a deep breath, quietly cursing to myself, forcing to make myself walk into the room.

_Grace, get a hold of yourself, there is nothing in here._ I thought that maybe if I continued to convince myself in my head, I would get a grip. I relaxed a little, realizing that there was nothing in my room—anymore, that is. I crawled into my bed, sighing loudly, my eyes starting to become very heavy, probably from the fact that I had been awake for the past 32 hours.

As soon as my head hit my pillow, I was out like a light, not realizing that red eyes were watching me from the window.

The next day I tried to pretend like I wasn't going crazy. I woke up really early, still getting use to the different time zone. Jeff had left early to go dirt biking with some of his friends for the day and told me to do "whatever". Yeah, like there was really a lot to do in this area.

I took my time getting dressed, eating some food, and finally deciding to do something with my day. Heck, I didn't come all the way from England just to sit on my behind. By twelve, I was heading out the front door, not wanting to spend any more time inside. I walked over to Jeff's car, hoping that he wouldn't mind if I borrowed his beaten down Toyota truck.

As I hopped into the seat, I looked out the rolled down window, realizing another car in the garage. I jumped out of the truck and skipped over to the garage to look at what the car looked like.

My mouth dropped at the sight of the car.

It was a 1968 Chevy Chevelle...pretty much my dream car.

"Okay, why isn't he driving this car instead of that piece of crap, and why am I not in it?" I pondered to myself out loud as the thought of driving the car at eighty; the engine roaring as I pressed on the pedal was like music to my ears. Oh, if only I was that dumb to take my uncle's car without his knowing. But I knew better. Once again, I really didn't feel like pissing my uncle off when I had just arrived.

I sighed, turning away from the beauty and walked back over to the poor excuse of a car. I climbed back into the truck, not even caring to put on my seatbelt as I put the key in the ignition and roared it to life. I decided that if I was going to stay here for a while, I might as well get to know the town and stores.

I swerved through the turns of the road for moments, finding it fun to go twenty over the speed limit as I drove closer to town. It only took me ten minutes to find my way out of the woody area and into a clear view of the town. I decided to my make my life easier and just park near the bus station where I had been picked up earlier, lowering my chances of getting lost and remembering where I parked.

I jumped out of the large truck, grabbing my purse and locking the doors to the truck before heading down the sidewalk. I was surprised; there were a few people walking down the sidewalks and driving cars on the roads. Yesterday was nothing like this. There were barely any people...only one I saw. I shivered, the thought of the pretty boy popping in my head, the look in his eyes almost intimidating.

As I walked down the sidewalk, my eyes lit up at the sight of a second-hand shop. I loved shopping at places like Value village.

An older woman sat behind the cash register when I walked through the door. She smiled, her wrinkled face scrunching. "Good day," she said. I gave a small smile, trying not to be shy.

"Hello," I replied with a pleased voice. The woman gave me a twisted grin when I walked past her and to the clothes.

"You're not from around here, are you?" I turned my head to the woman when she asked the question.

I shook my head with the same small smile. "No, I just got here yesterday. I'm staying with my uncle." I continued to search through the clothes on the rack.

"Oh, you must be Jeff Steven's niece." I turned to her, my eyes widening a bit. News must travel fast around here. I nodded my head with surprised eyes. They change when the same thing as the night before happens. The lady's image twitched, just like a television. My breath got caught in my throat. I did not understand why my mind was playing tricks on me. Hadn't I had enough sleep? I shook my head a little as I tried to forget it even happened, trying to act like I wasn't losing my mind.

"Yes, I am Grace Evans." I didn't want to sound rude by not giving my whole name. A sly smirk fell across my face when I found a funny shirt on the rack. It had red lettering on the black shirt that said 'I leave bite marks'. For three dollars, you can't say no. I walked over to the woman and sat the shirt on the counter.

"I'm Deloris, by the way," she said while she typed in the price in the register and I handed her the money.

"Nice to meet you," I kindly said, grabbing the bag she handed me and walked out the door. I gasped loudly, the door hitting someone from the other side, making me lose my balance and fall forward and almost onto my face. I was usually pretty coordinated, but my fingers just happened to miss catching me before I fell. I heard a small gasp when I groaned in pain a bit.

"Ow," I murmured quietly, knowing I scrapped my hands on the concrete.

"Damn, are you okay?" My ears perked up from the sound of the attractive voice. I felt the person lean down to me to help me up. I kept my face down, embarrassed that I had hit them. I grabbed the cold hand that was outstretched to me; not refusing the manors of the person who wanted to help me to my feet. I knew my face was red from being so humiliated.

As I stood to my feet, I finally glanced up from the ground and almost gasped. Once again, I had run into a gorgeous young man, only this one was different. His blonde hair made his blue eyes brighter. His leather jacket made him look even better.

I began to stutter, trying to think of words, but they were hard to find. "Oh, I-I am so sorry. I didn't see you there." I looked down and realize that he still hand my hand in his from helping me up. I turned a little red and swiftly pulled my hand from his. He laughed a little from my reaction. I hoped it wasn't the fact that I was really red.

"I'm all good. I'm not the one who fell on my face," he said amusingly. I was sure he was teasing me, trying to make me red. I tried to take in a deep breath, hoping my red face would lighten.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry...again." I whispered the last part, realizing that I probably sounded like an idiot.

"You're new around here," he pointed out. I nodded my head, finally getting the courage to look up at him.

I replied quietly, "Yeah, I just got here yesterday." I was starting to get more confident. The young man gave me a twisted grin. It almost looked...evil.

"Well, welcome to our humble town. I'm Cain," he said, holding out his hand. I hesitated to shake it, but found the courage to bring my hand to his. I almost jolted from his hand right away, feeling that his hand was freezing cold, almost as he had been in a freezer. He gave me a twisted smile, probably from my reaction. His hand wasn't that cold a second ago.

"I'm Grace," I replied thoughtfully, hoping that he wouldn't be offended by my reaction. He didn't, but seemed more pleased than anything.

"Well, Grace, would you like to come with me to get a bite to eat," he asked, motioning with his hands towards the restaurants down the street. At this point, my mind was racing a million miles. What should I say?

I gasped when I felt an arm surround me from behind, bringing me close to the owner. Their hands were freezing, almost as cold as Cain's. Cain's pleasant face turned into a glower, staring past me and to the owner who had the arm around my torso. I turned my head slightly and gasped louder. My face felt hot when I found that it was Desmond who was holding me close to him, his eyes on Cain, glaring. I switched my eyes between the two figures, wondering what was going on.

"Desmond," Cain acknowledged him with a glare. Desmond's glower didn't change, keeping his eyes on the blonde.

"Cain," he replied almost emotionlessly, a sound of distaste and warning in his voice. I couldn't breathe. I was stuck between two gorgeous boys, one of which had his arm around me. Cain snarled a bit before turning around, stalking off, but not before turning to glance over his shoulder.

"I'll talk to you later, Grace Evans." At that, he walked off down the sidewalk, disappearing after he walked around a corner. I let out a sigh, feeling less tense now that he was gone, for some reason. I looked down and realized that Desmond was still holding me. My eyes widened a bit at the thought of him holding me so close to him.

"Um, okay—that was weird," I muttered under my breath while I broke away from his grasp, turning around to stare at him. My eyes immediately turned to the ground; the look on his face was not a pleasant one. He was almost glaring at me, as though disappointed in me.

"You need to watch yourself."

I sighed at the almost angelic voice. It was smooth and dark, sending shivers up my spine. I looked up from the ground and gave him a lost look, my eyebrow raised.

"Excuse me?" I asked, a little offended by his tone of voice. It was like he was scolding me. The annoyed look on his face didn't change one bit.

"Stay away from Cain. He is not who you think he is," he warned me with a dangerous voice. My face turned into a slight glare. Who the hell did this guy think he was? He was good looking, but that didn't give him the right to speak to me like I was a child.

"Where do you get off telling me what to do? You don't own me," I snapped back with the same venom that he had in his voice. I took a step back when he smirked at my defiant attitude. My 

eyes widen when he began to walk towards me with the smirk still on his face. I took another step back, making sure to keep a gap between us.

The dance didn't last very long. I felt a wall press against my back, letting Desmond close that small gap I had kept between us. I stared with shocked eyes as he put a hand on each side of my head, trapping me between him, his face close to mine. I could feel his breath on my face. It was cool, but sweet, like roses.

"Take my advice, Grace. Stay away from Cain. He's more dangerous than you may think." His smirk faltered, changing his face to a serious one when he spoke about Cain. It was hard not to blush, his face so close to mine.

I tried my best not stutter while I spoke. "Okay, jeeze. Can you let me go now? I could sue you for harassment," I said with my eyes on his. His eyes widen a bit while mine narrowed at his, never breaking the stare. He seemed surprised about something, but what? I blinked, my grey green eyes trying their best not to show any emotion as I looked into Desmond's. He finally stepped away from me, giving me some space. He smirked as he watches my plain face stare at his, trying not to show that I was surprised by his attractive grin.

"You already seem to be a crowd-puller for dangerous situations," he said, obviously amused.

I lifted my eyebrow at him again. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, clearly not understanding his statement. My heart stopped when he leaned towards me, resting an arm on the wall so he kept his balance, closing the gap between us once more. I tensed, feeling his cold breath on my neck, taking a deep breath, almost as though he was inhaling my scent. My eyes grew wide, feeling his other hand move to my neck, the coldness catching me by surprise. I forgot how to breathe, his breath tickling my skin as it flowed across my neck and to my ear.

"Take care of yourself, Gracie," he whispered, making my heart skip a beat. He pulled away, turning to walk down the street with his hands in his pockets, not glancing back to me while he left me in a daze against the wall. I watched as his figure disappeared as he walked around a corner, leaving me to my shocked self. I put a hand over my chest, checking to feel if my heart was still beating. I sighed loudly; it was beating irregularly.

"What a weird day," I mumbled to myself, walking away from the wall and back over to Jeff's beat-up truck. I climbed into the driver's seat, shaking, having trouble finding the ignition. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. I finally felt the key slide into the slot and turned the car to life. I sat in the rumbling truck for a moment, trying to register what had just happened. I shook my head, trying to snap myself out of it. I put the truck into 'drive' and took off out of town and back to Jeff's house.


	3. Dark Alleys Equal Trouble

**Chapter 3**

Dark Alleys Trouble

When I got back to the house, Jeff still wasn't back from his dirt biking trip with his friends. My hands were stuck on the wheel of the truck. I was still trying to get the shock out of my system. It took me a while to register what had happened earlier, but the more I tried, the more lost I got.

My heart was still beating abnormally from being so close to Desmond. His touch was so cold and sweet that it sent shivers up my spine just thinking about it. Cain's was just as cold, if not colder. And I still couldn't understand Desmond's warnings. Why was he warning me to stay away from Cain? Was he really that bad of a guy, or was Desmond just jealous?

Again, I shivered at the thought and finally pulled my hands from the wheel and hopped out of the large truck before locking it. It was getting dark now that it was around six. I walked into the warm house, welcoming the sudden heat that washed over my chilled body. Ever since I had touched Cain's hand, my body had felt cold. It was though his cold hand was still touching me.

I tried to shake it off as I walked into the kitchen to grab something to eat. As I walked past the phone, I saw that a red button was blinking, meaning that someone had left a message. I pushed the message button and listened to the memo. It was Jeff.

"Hey, Gracie—I was just checking in on you, wondering how you were doing. I guess you're not home. Well, I'm going to be out late tonight with the guys, so don't wait up for me." There was a pause, but I knew there was still more to the message when I did not hear a beep.

"Grace, I want you to go into town tonight. Don't stay in the house while I'm not home. Go to town and get Deloris to get you something to eat. She called me earlier and told me that you came into her store and bought a few things, so you two should get along fine until I get home. Take care of yourself and I'll see you when I get home. I'll call you on your cell when I'm on my way home." And then there was a beep, verifying that the message was over. I slumped back against the kitchen counter, sighing as I closed my eyes.

"Why in the world is he so worried? Can't a girl stay by herself in a house in this place? Damn." I cursed aloud. I was frustrated. I had taken my time getting home, driving at about 10 miles an hour, taking me a while to reach Jeff's. Now I had to drive _all_ the way back to town, just to sit at dinner with an old lady.

I quickly ran upstairs to change my attire. They had gotten dirty when I had had my close encounter with the concrete. I searched my wardrobe until I found something that was somewhat nice and matching.

I grabbed my keys again and stomped to the front door fiercely. I was mad. I slammed the door before stalking to the truck again, opening the door hotly before slamming it and putting the key into the ignition. I didn't even care to look behind me while I backed out of the driveway. I put 

the truck in 'drive' before slamming my foot on the gas, making the tires screech as I took off to the town with an unpleasant look on my face.

I smashed the door of Jeff's truck again as soon as I was out of it. I was acting careless, angry, and slightly crazy as I was walking. Anyone who walked by could notice that I was in an unpleasant mood by my face and stomping walk. Though, that was very unlikely, considering there was not one person out walking about the town, except one: me.

I had parked further away from Deloris's shop, hoping that a short walk would calm me down. I did not want to hang out with her for the night. I looked up to the dark sky, looking at the dark clouds that stood out in the night.

"It gets dark around here fast," I mumbled to myself, walking across the street and to the sidewalk. I stared at the ground as I walked, my arms crossed. The cold chill had picked up when the sun had gone done and night had come. I stared at the cracks on the sidewalk, not looking to where I was walking, letting my feet carry me away.

"I wonder how mum and dad are," I thought aloud, suddenly remembering how worried my mom was when I had gotten on the plane. Moments passed as I followed the cracks in the sidewalk, not recognizing what time it was and how long it was taking me to follow the trail of cracks. While I was staring at the ground, I failed to realize where my feet had dragged me. I jumped and stopped in my tracks when the sound of a trash can fall came, echoing through the area. I looked around me, now realizing where I had been walking.

"Way to go, Grace. You've walked right into the darkest place in the town." Yup, I had walked into a dark alley without even knowing it. I was cursing to myself when it looked like the alley in front of me went on for a while. It looked the even longer the other direction. Either way, I was in a dark alley and alone.

"It's a perfect murder scene," I thought aloud, shivering at the thought of those horror movies where the teenage girl walks through a dark alley alone, only to come face-to-face with her murderer.

"Shut up, Grace! You've got to start thinking positively. It's just an alley." I thought that maybe if I talked to myself, I would feel better. All it did was make me feel crazy.

"Okay, just run as fast as you can in one direction and it'll seem like only seconds before you make it to the end of the alley." I looked down to my clothing, cursing to the fact that I had decided to wear a skirt on a cold night. I looked up to the alley that lay before me, a determined look falling over my face as I began to run as fast as I could. It took only about ten strides until I saw the end of the alley. I sighed in relief; I was almost there.

Just when I felt relief, all of it went rushing out of me, watching someone step from the shadows, standing right in the way of my wanted destination. I slid to a stop, taking a step back when they took one step towards me. I let out a scream when my back came in contact with another body behind me, but it was muffled before I could project more than a squeak. One hand surrounded my waist while the other hand was a tight hold over my mouth.

I stared in fright, watching the figure that had stopped me walk forward and now stood in front of me. I could tell he was smirking at my terrified face.

"Well, well, well, look at we caught this time. Not bad. What do you think, Zane?" I was frozen; panic taking its toll over my body, feeling two pairs of craving eyes on me. I could tell the person who was in front of me was a young man no older than I was. I tried to scream into the hands of the capturer behind me when I saw the young man's eyes flash red for a second while they roamed across my body.

"I think we have found a lost kitten," the person behind me, Zane, said with amusement. I struggled against him, trying to kick him in the groin from behind or do anything to make him release me, but his tough hold on me was unbreakable and barely budged when I flailed to free myself. I shuddered, feeling a cold breath on my neck. I became a living statue; unmoving.

"She smells sweet, don't you agree, Bryce?" Zane asked, his cold breath against my skin feeling like needles. The young man, Bryce, walked closer to me, bringing his hand up to my cheek and stroked it with the back of his hand.

"Yes, I agree. It's such a disappointment that we have to get rid of such a beauty that smells so great." I stared in horror, unable to flinch away from his cold touch. It was just as cold as Cain's, possibly colder. I knew it; they were going to rape me and kill me!

I tried to kick Bryce when he walked closer to me, but with lightening bolt movements, he caught my leg before hitting him and walked even closer to me. He was now less than a couple inches from my body. I could feel nothing but cold radiating from both sides of the bodies that were close to me. I tensed up, watching Bryce lean forward, towards my neck. Just like Zane's, his breath was cold and felt like needles as it hit my neck.

"Don't worry; it will only hurt for a second," Bryce whispered against my neck when I felt something pointed slide across my neck. I shut my eyes tight, not wanting to know what they were going to do. But before I knew what was happening, I felt both Bryce and Zane being forced away from me.

I opened my eyes and gawked in shock, seeing that they had both had been thrown to the brick wall, making it crack as they slammed against it. I looked beside me and gasped, seeing that it was Desmond who was standing protectively next to me, a look of fury in his eyes as he snarled at the two forms of Bryce and Zane while they stood to their feet. He revealed his teeth to the both of them, growling. That was when I took a step back from him in fright, noticing two teeth that stood out from the rest.

They were fangs.

Bryce and Zane glowered at Desmond while they both stood to their feet, but within a blink of an eye, they had disappeared into thin air. I was, once again, speechless. As soon as they were gone, I felt all fear in me fade when I looked to Desmond who stood straight, his face turning passive again. My lower lip was trembling from the distress and traumatic moment that I had just gone through. He finally turned to me and looked at me with serious eyes.

He asked in a low voice, "Are you okay?" I could feel tears ready to come out. Before I knew what I was doing, I jumped forward and threw my arms around Desmond's torso, letting all my shock out as I began to cry my eyes out in his chest.

"I was so scared!" I whimpered into his chest, telling nothing but the dull truth. His body was tense while I kept my arms around him, not caring if he returned the embrace or not. I just needed to feel safe with someone. After a moment, he slowly brought his arms around me, even though he was still as uptight as could be.

"You're safe now, Grace," he said in a hushed voice. I didn't care if I was acting like a little girl; I had never been so scared in my life before.

After a few moments, he pulled me away from him, obviously feeling very uncomfortable with my nearness. I wiped away my fallen tears until my face was dry and red from the salt. I sniffled a little before trying to slow myself down and try to act like I hadn't just had a nervous break down.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Desmond suddenly snapped loudly, yelling at me like he was scolding me. I cringed a little from the sudden loudness of his voice and looked up from the ground to stare at him. He was glaring at me, just as I had expected.

I mumble back, "I'm sorry," looking at the ground, hating his glare. It was intimidating. He growled at my response.

"Sorry? Sorry?! You could have been killed!" he snapped again. I flinched again when he said the word 'killed'. I finally looked up from the ground to stare at him.

"Why did you come down here in the first place? How careless could you be?!" he shouted yet again. He must have been really mad.

I sighed, shaking the alarm and fear from my face. "Look, I didn't know where I was walking. I was kind of out of it." I was speaking the truth, which was the best answer I could give. I began to think I should have lied when Desmond's glower darkened.

"You were out of it?" he growled, speaking through clenched teeth. This was the most emotion I had seen out of him before. I looked down and saw that his hands were clenched into tight fists, looking as though he was struggling to fight back his rage. He probably was. I took a step back 

from him when he turned to the brick wall behind him and slammed his fist into it. I watched as the wall cracked all the way to the top.

What was he?

He turned around after a moment, closing his eyes, sighing and pressing his fingers to his eyelids, suddenly looking very tense. Maybe he was tired. I looked to his fists, expecting them to be bloody. There wasn't even a sign on him that would said he had just punched a wall that should have at least broken a couple of fingers, let alone crack the brick wall.

"What are you?" I whispered, taking a step back, suddenly feeling panicked. This was not a normal human. He opened his eyes to stare straight at me, noticing I was backing away from him. I gasped, seeing that they were now a lighter color than before. When he was yelling and protecting me, they were almost red; now they were just about a caramel color. His face was plain and serious.

He sighed again. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said, shaking his head slightly; looking like he was trying to push his thoughts away. I stared at him like he was crazy, lost that he was now pushing this whole thing off as though nothing had just happened. My face got defensive. I was going to get to the bottom of this!

"What the hell just happened?" I shouted just as loud as he had only moments ago, stopping him in his tracks before walking away from me. He turned to me, a look in his eyes that held warning. My hands moved to my hips, my eyes glaring at him. His hands were in his pockets when he began to walk back towards me. My defensive attitude faded and was replaced with fear, his sudden actions nerve-racking. But I refused to back away from him. He stopped, standing right in front of me, staring at me with darker eyes.

"I'll explain after you get something to eat." I was going to complain and shoot a snotty remark back at him, but he shut me up when he grabbed my wrist with quick movements that I had no time to react when he began to drag me down the alley. I struggled against him, slapping and punching his arm with him dragging me down the alley, not phased at all by my beatings and restraints.

"Desmond! Release me at once!" I yelled over and over while he continued to drag me down the alley. By the time I had given up fighting against him, we were out of the alley and back on the main street. He finally let go of my wrist and walked to the car that was parked in front of us. My mouth dropped a little. It was another one of my dream cars.

center img src"i43./albums/e384/BrightenStar/dogsg.jpg"/center

It was a Dodge Viper...and black.

"What is it with you people and hot cars?" I thought aloud. Desmond opened the driver's door and climbed in. I looked over the car one last time before beginning to turn away from it to head to my crappy truck. I heard the window roll down before I could turn.

"Grace, get in the car," Desmond demanded in a stern voice. I turned back to glare at him. Who did he think he was? He was treating me like a kid again.

"Why? My car is right across the street," I protested, receiving a dark glare from doing so.

"Get in the car," he spoke in an even more dangerous voice. It sent shivers down my spine. I sighed, giving up and walking over to the car, opening the door before climbing in and shutting it. The car smelt amazing, just like Desmond did.

"Deloris is going to have a heart attack now that I haven't shown up yet," I said quietly, looking out the dark tinted window. Desmond started the car and began to drive off with speed.

"I told her I'm taking you home," he said beside me. I turned to give him a shocked, but lost look.

"What do you mean? No you didn't. You were with me the whole time." This was true. There was no way he could have told her.

"I spoke to her before I went to go find you." Again, he replied directly. I didn't understand how this all could be.

"But...how did you know-"

"I will tell you in a moment. Just...let me slow down a bit." He ended with a sigh. It wasn't until now did I realize he was still edgy and had his hands tightly on the steering wheel. I patiently waited, having a tough time keeping my questions and emotions in. I wanted to blush, not believing that I was sitting next to Desmond in a car; his car! He took couple of deep breaths before looking straight ahead of him. I looked out the window and realized that I had no idea where we are going.

"Um—you know, this isn't the way to my house. It's the other way," I pointed out.

He nodded his head in agreement. "I know. I'm not taking you home."

I stared at him, a sudden panic feeling while my stomach felt like it was tied in a knot. "What do you mean you're not taking me home?" I tried not to yell, now being in a closed area. My heart was racing so fast, I was sure I was bound to die from it pounding so rapidly.

Desmond glanced to me, and then back to the road. "That would be the first place they would check for you." He had a bit of concern in his voice.

I gave him a quizzical stare. "Who? Why would somebody be looking for me?" I asked quickly, feeling fright rush through me.

He glanced to me again. "Because…you know what we are."


	4. The Revealed Truth

**Chapter 4**

The Revealed Truth

I was positive my heart had stopped beating. I staggered for a breath, trying to remember how to breathe. Desmond's words had hit me like a ton of bricks. What did he mean? I tried to keep my eyes from bulging out of their sockets while he continued to drive around 100 MPH down the road, swerving through the turns with ease.

"Excuse me?" I somehow choked out. I was still trying to register what he had told me only a moment ago. I swallowed hard, letting the lump that was stuck in my throat slide down into my stomach.

"You heard me," he growled, a sound of displeasure perfectly visible in his voice. He never took his eyes away from the road as he spoke, a look of annoyance on his face. I knew that my eyes were big and scared at this moment.

"I did, but I don't understand. Are you kidnapping me?" It was one of the thoughts that had been bothering me since I had gotten in his car. I didn't think he would be the kind of person who would kidnap people, but then again, I had just met him. And then it hit me; I had no idea who or what this guy was.

I went to reach for the door of the car, pulling on handle. I didn't care if I didn't have a good chance of living if I jumped out of the car. Anything was better than being tortured for life. I felt my heart start again when I pulled on the handle, but nothing happened. The door was locked, with no 'unlock' button. I was stuck in the car with what could be a murderer.

"Let me out of the car!" I screamed; panic rushing through me like a crazy train. Desmond growled again and shut his eyes for a split second. Again, as he gritted his teeth, I saw the two sharper ones sticking out amongst the rest. I gasped and tried to sit as far away from him as possible, my back pressed against the cool glass of the window, keeping my distance.

"What are you?" I whispered, not knowing what to think. "And what do you want with me?" I almost stuttered over my own words. He finally took his eyes away from the road to glance at me from his peripheral vision.

"Like I said, you already know what we are...or what I am, at least," he said with an unwavering voice, unlike mine. I was shaking, scared for my life. I watched as he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again to stare in front of him while we continued to drive on through the dark woods.

"Grace, you still don't realize what kind of world you have come into. This world is nothing like yours and is very dangerous." As he was speaking, his hands continued to clench on the steering wheel. I was puzzled, completely lost by his words.

"Why do you keep speaking as though there are two worlds?" I asked with a cracking voice. He glanced to me again and gave me a strange look. It sent shivers up spine.

"I will tell you as soon as you slow yourself down," he said slowly, as though I were an idiot.

I glared at him slightly. "How can I calm myself down when I have no idea what is going to happen to me? I don't know who the hell you are, I feel like I am being kidnapped, and here you're telling me that I know what you are. How can I stay calm?" I asked through gritted teeth, trying to make sure that I keep myself from screaming. He sighed and suddenly put his foot on the break, skidding to a stop in the middle of the road. It was dark, rainy, and the perfect scene for a murder. I began to hyperventilate again.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" I whimpered, trying to open the locked door, but the handle wouldn't budge. Desmond snarled quietly, trying to hold himself back from doing something stupid. I gasped when he grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back away from the door with such speed and power; I wasn't sure if I even put up a fight at first.

"Grace, I am not going to kill you! Get a hold of yourself!" Desmond had lost his temper and could no longer hold it back. This was obviously not his night. I became frozen and remained still while he gripped my shoulders. I looked up from the seat of the car, tears begging to come to my eyes, and looked into the caramel color of Desmond's.

"Now, listen very carefully. This is not going to make a lot of sense to you, but try your best to keep up with me and to not ask questions," he began, looking into my eyes as he spoke. I slowly nodded my head, trying to slow myself down. He didn't let go of my shoulders while he sighed and began to explain the whole story.

"You are not in the world you believe you are in. It's all been an illusion." My eyes got wide at his words. My heart had stopped again. Who was this lunatic?

"What?" I whispered with fright. He snarled again; he had warned me not to ask questions.

"Just listen. Ever since you have arrived to this place, you have been stuck in an illusion. Ever since you have arrived, all the people, all the places have been an illusion. Deloris is not real. Jeff was an illusion. His house was an illusion. The only things that have been real are the things you saw tonight, and Cain." I was completely lost. I had never been more confused in my life than now. His words didn't fit at all. But the look in his eyes convinced me that he was being serious about this and that it was the truth. I swallowed hard again, trying to remember how to breathe. I could feel that I was on the verge of tears.

"But...why?" I whispered, not believing any of the information I was receiving at all. Desmond shook his head, looking as though he was regretting to say the last part.

"I can't tell you everything. All I can tell you is that the boss has an interest in you," Desmond spoke with regret. He was feeling bad about something.

"Boss?" I asked in a weary voice. He slowly nodded his head, taking his eyes away from mine and back to the window. "Then—if this isn't the real world—than where am I? And what are 

you?" I asked in a cracking voice, a couple of tears falling down my face. I watched Desmond sigh and rub his eyelids, shaking his head slightly.

"You are in a world that is nothing like yours. Creatures that only exist in stories and legends in your world live here in this world. And just like in the stories and legends in your world, there is a war breaking between the different species." He was speaking as though it was all easy for me to understand. He looked away from the window and back to me as he leaned against the car seat.

I gulped loudly again, trying to think of something to say. "Am I in…an illusion now?" I hesitated to ask, afraid of what the answer would be. I was waiting for the moment I would wake up from this nightmare.

Desmond's eyes grew a bit lighter at my question, his voice quieter. "No, the illusion ended as soon as I took you out of the town." He was probably feeling bad that tears were now falling freely down my face, shock taking its toll on me. Now, all I wanted was to go back home, to the home I knew was real and normal to me.

I sniffled a couple of time, trying to act like less of a child by trying to stop crying. "If I was in an illusion," I had to take a second to get a staggering breath, "then how did I get in one?" I sobbed, unable to hold back my cracking and crying voice. I felt Desmond tense beside me, obviously nervous about my question.

He remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "You fell asleep on the bus, and that's when the boss decided to put the illusion on you." He was acting way too normal for this to all feel real. He was acting as if he had done this many times before, like he didn't care.

I blinked a few times, letting a few more tears fall freely down my cheeks. "But...I didn't fall asleep on the bus. And if I did, why were you real, but no one else?" I asked quietly, trying to hide my cracking voice. It didn't work.

Desmond didn't hesitate this time. "You did fall asleep on the bus, you just didn't realize it. And when you did fall asleep, one of the boss's minions took you from the bus and brought you to our world. There is now a replication of you taking over your place in the real world. You've already met a couple of the boss's minions." I kept gasping all the way through his short explanation.

How could any of this be? It couldn't be happening.

"Who is this...boss?" I faltered to ask again, now afraid that Desmond was going to have no choice to bring me to this 'boss'. Maybe he was one of his henchmen.

Desmond shook his head slightly, as though he had heard my thoughts. "I think you'll only need two guesses to figure out who the boss is. I've already given you many clues as to what I am. I think the fangs should be a good hint," he ended with a sigh. I gasped at his words again, jolting away from him in terror. The lump had fallen back into my throat, making it impossible to breathe. Though, instead of feeling like I wasn't breathing, I did the opposite and began to 

hyperventilate again. I grabbed onto the door handle again when I felt a shiver rush through me and begin to act like a person who was having a heart attack or seizure. I jolted away again when Desmond reached his hand toward me. I wasn't fast enough and didn't have the room to get away from his touch. I shivered when he rested his hand on my shoulder, trying to slow me down.

"Grace, I know this hard to bear, but please relax. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise..." Desmond spoke sincerely, but I wasn't sure what to believe any more. It could all be an act. His cold touch felt like fire on my shoulder, but it also felt nice. I exhaled, feeling a bit light headed from hyperventilating.

I gasped when he grabbed one of my hands that were resting on my lap and brought it into his. It wasn't cold anymore, unlike the last time. His thumb ran across the top of my hand, making my muscles slowly relax. I sighed, his touch so soft and gentle, and it was almost unreal. Maybe he wasn't real. Maybe this was all a bad dream. That's what I was waiting for; the dream to end.

"You want to know what I am?" he began in low voice, staring intently at my hand while he continued to run his thumb across the top of it, slowing me down. I nodded my head, letting the few tears that I still had fall down my face. He sighed again, just like he had ever since we got in the car.

"I am a being that is no longer living, but neither dead. A creature that stalks in the night for prey and sleeps during the day...well, that is what the legend says." For some reason, I wasn't frightened by his words. Maybe I had no way to be afraid anymore. Too much had already happened to me today that there was nothing more I could be afraid of. I knew what creature he was speaking of. I had always loved reading about them. They had always fascinated me, ever since I was a child.

"A vampire," I whispered, understanding what he had meant. He nodded his head and hummed a "yes".

I finally looked to him and away from our connected hands. "If you say you are what you are, than why is it that you can walk in the sun? Or stay around me without being tempted to attack me and, well, you know?" I asked seriously, a plain face falling over my features. I could no longer hold emotion at the time.

He chuckled a bit, sending vibrations through our connected hands. "Well, I'm not sure about the tempted thing. You do smell very sweet. It is a bit of a struggle against my desires, but since I am who I am, I can control myself enough that I won't hurt you. But if you were to suddenly come extremely close to me, I might not be so sure of myself. And walking amongst the sun question; well, let's just say that I am well respected for my reputation in this world."

I lifted an eyebrow, having a sense that he was bragging about himself. "You mean you're well known because you're strong," I replied frankly. Desmond was obviously happy by my comment.

He smirked. "Yes, if you would like to put it that way. I am known for my power and strength," he replied in an overconfident manner. I nodded my head, suddenly feeling very safe by his words. I could feel his eyes on me while I looked away and out into the dark woods, looking for any creature that would attack us.

"And the boss?" I murmured. I already guessed who it was, but was afraid to say the name.

Desmond got the drift and nodded his head. "Yes, you already know him as the Lord of the Underworld," he said spitefully. I nodded my head again, looking away from him and to the dark road. I suddenly felt numb. Desmond finally released my hand and returned them back to the steering wheel, turning on the car, and driving off once more.

"Where are you taking me?" I spoke softly, knowing that Desmond could hear it after everything he had told me.

His eyes, once again, didn't leave the road as he pushed harder on the gas petal. "I've got to get a few things from my house and tell my family what is going on," he said. I sighed and rested my head back against the car seat, thinking about his words and what was to happen to me.

"Grace..." I heard an angelic voice whisper and feeling something shake me. I opened my eyes, blinking a few times, forgetting where I was for a moment. When my eyes finally adjusted, I saw Desmond on my side of the car with the door opened, a plain look on his face while he shook me awake. I blinked a few more times before groaning and lifting my legs out of the car. Desmond didn't do the gentlemanly thing by helping me out of the car, and instead waited for me to pick myself out of the car.

My legs were wobbly, as though I hadn't walked in months. I held onto the car, taking Desmond's warning he told me about earlier to mind. I finally looked up from the ground with lazy eyes and gasped when I saw what lay in front of me. We had parked in front of a mansion. It had to be at least 3 or more stories high.

"What is this place?" I asked, astonished, not believing the sight of the large house. It was dark. We were out in the middle of nowhere. It figured.

"My house," he replied before stalking past me with his hands in his pockets and towards the house. It took me a moment to catch my breath before I jogged to catch up to him. We both walked up the porch stairs and to the door of the house. Desmond grabbed the handle, but didn't turn it. Instead, he looked to me with a serious face and speculating eyes. I shied away, intimidated by his stare.

He shook his head a little and said, "Don't do anything too panicky. My brothers are very persuasive and are good at getting what they want."

"But they won't because you're with me, right?" I asked with a slim raised eyebrow. He smirked a bit, knowing that I was giving him a compliment. At that, he opened the door. There was barely any light in the house. He let me walk in before him, making sure to protect my back side if anything decided to attack me.

I glanced around the front room, staring at all the fancy things and objects that were in random places. In front of us was a large staircase, leading up to the second level. Desmond began to walk into the other room, motioning for me to follow. I shivered, feeling a cold chill run down my spine.

Someone from behind said, "Yo." I almost jumped a foot. I quickly turned around, gasping when I came face-to-face with a stranger. Once again, I found myself staring at a gorgeous creature. His hair was greasy and he looked very good looking. He didn't look much older than Desmond, but he was much taller. His skin was almost as white as Desmond's, only he had a slight color to his cheeks. I was sure my mouth was open. I gasped again when I felt Desmond drag me toward him.

The other young man smirked, making me turn red from his beauty. "Brought home dinner early, huh?" he asked. I tensed from his words, drawing myself closer to Desmond. I could hear Desmond growl quietly, and I knew he was glaring.

"Knock it off, Lucas. Don't even think about it," Desmond warned with a silent growl. Lucas smirked down at me, showing me his pearly white fangs. I twitched again, trying to bring myself closer to Desmond. I could feel him smirk from my reaction...again.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He just likes to scare people," Desmond reassured me.

Lucas took a step toward us. "Especially pretty girls," he added. I didn't try to shy away from him this time, feeling a bit more at ease around him already. Desmond disappeared from beside me, leaving me with dear Lucas. I wasn't sure if I should be tense or not.

Lucas smirked down at me. "It's okay. I am not going to hurt you. I've already eaten today," he joked. There was amusement in his voice, but I still twitched from surprise. "Just kidding," he added when he saw me shudder. "Grace Evans, huh? Looks like you are becoming pretty popular around here." My eyes widened when he spoke my name.

I turned to look up from the ground and to his pretty boy face. "You know who I am?" I asked, taking a large intake of breath right after. He chuckled a bit and took another step toward me. I struggled to keep myself from taking a step back, and succeeded.

"Of course—Desmond told me about you," he said with his kind smirk. I cocked my head to the side, not quite registering his words they way they should. Had Desmond planned on saving me? He had only seen me once before, and he hadn't known my name then. Or had Jeff gone behind my back and told Desmond that his niece had a crush on him at first sight? None of it sounded probable. Jeff wasn't real.

"Who's this?" I tensed for the hundredth time, feeling someone appear behind me. Again, it was another attractive boy voice. I turned around slowly, only to feel my legs buckle under me from surprise.

_Damn it! What is it with beautiful boys around this area_?! I screamed in my mind. This young man was just as pretty as the other two I had met. His hair was blonde and longer than Desmond's or Lucas's, and his face was more defined than Lucas's. His shirt was tight against his body, and I could see all of the muscles on his stomach, distinct and beautiful. He was about Lucas's height, so he was fairly tall; at least 5'9. He smirked down at me, making my red face turn even redder.

He spoke. "She's cute, I'll give Desmond that much." He sent a wider smile past me and to Lucas. I was stuck between two young looking vampires who were drop dead gorgeous...literally.

I nervously played with my blonde and copper hair and continued to tuck it behind my ear. "Are you both Desmond's brothers?" I asked, trying to spark up a conversation.

Lucas walked around from behind me, stood next to the other young man, and put his arm around him in a friendly gesture. "Yup, we sure are. This is Darien, the girl wooer, so you better be careful around him," he teased his brother. He didn't blush or anything. Well, not that he could or anything. They were dead. My eyes shot to my left when I felt a cold glare on me. I took a step back from the image of an angel, her glare more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. Her arms were crossed over her chest when she walked over to me, sending shivers down my spine. It was the first time I had ever been afraid of a girl's glare.

"Is she the one?" she rudely asked, obviously sounding like she detested me. I held myself from stepping away from her while she stalked right up to me. She was at least a head taller than me.

"Leave her alone, Aurelia. Your jealousy doesn't need to get in the middle this," I heard Desmond's voice come from the stairs behind the blonde and beautiful young woman. She quickly turned, sending Desmond a hateful glower. He returned it, gliding down the stairs and to my side. I watched in wonderment while the two pale angels stared each other down. She scoffed loudly before pushing past him, hitting him against the shoulder when she stalked past him. I was lost. What had just happened? Did she really hate me?

"Don't mind her. She's just jealous you're so popular," Lucas reassured me, walking up beside me with a small smile on his face. I wasn't sure what to think and could only find the power to nod my head. I looked back to Desmond and realized that three other and new people were standing behind him, small smiles on their faces. Two of them looked older. The woman and the man looked at least around their mid twenties or so. The woman had beautiful long, curling brown hair. Her eyes were almost identical to Desmond's; a beautiful caramel. Her smile was contagious and comforting. She was the perfect mother figure, only the most beautiful mother I had ever seen. The man beside her had black hair that trailed down the side of his face, longer in the back. He was one of the few men I had encountered who looked good with longer hair. His eyes were a translucent green and blue, somewhat similar to mine. And just like the woman's, 

his eyes were soft and kind. And then there was another young woman, her brown hair curling a bit, her green eyes piercing mine. She was smiling at me. All these people were beautiful and graceful. The girl walked past Desmond and to me, holding her hand out to me. I stared at her with wide eyes.

"You must be Grace. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Selene, Desmond's sister," she said with a much kinder voice than Aurelia's. I returned the smile with a shy one, reaching my hand out to shake hers. I tried not to jolt away from the coldness of her touch. When we released hands, Desmond grabbed mine and began to drag me toward the stairs. I sent a glance to the other two who I had yet to meet.

The woman next to the man said in a kind voice, "Desmond, please try to treat out guest with generosity." I watched them as I climbed the stairs with Desmond, unable to take my eyes off of them. The man beside the woman gave a slight smile as well, the same warmth as the woman's.

Desmond dragged me through the halls by my hand, twisting and turning through the halls until we finally stopped at a large door. He practically threw me into the room, making me have to catch myself from falling to the floor. He closed the door behind him after he walked in, a tense look on his face. I glanced around the room. It was big and had everything a prince would have. His bed was humongous, along with the sofa that sat in front of a large full screen T.V. I watched while Desmond began to pace back and forth, a look of pondering on his face.

"Your parents seem nice. Your entire family seems nice." I lied when I said that. Aurelia was the opposite of nice. The look in her eyes when she had walked up to me was so threatening that I had thought for sure that she was going to hit me. He stopped as soon as I had spoken, turning to me with a plain expression. He sighed and closes his eyes for a moment, growling quietly.

"This is the only place they don't know how to find. You'll be safe here...for now." I didn't like the way he had said the last part. What was that supposed to mean?

My mouth dropped a little. "You mean I have to stay here with you?" I growled, a sudden nauseous feeling churning my stomach. He ignored me for the moment, walked over to his bed and fell onto his back, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Yeah, that about sums it up." he said. My heart was racing. I almost felt like I was going to pass out from all the alarms of the day. And then, there was this last bit of information.

I was stuck in a house full of vampires.


	5. A Dangerous Situation

**Chapter 5**

A Dangerous Situation

"What? You mean I'm stuck with you?" I said loudly again to Desmond, who was taking no interest in me while he laid himself stretched across his large bed lazily. I was standing on the other side of the room, keeping my distance from him. If he really was a vampire, could I_ really _have trust in him? I mean, if he was what he said he was, than he sucked blood, the stuff that was pumping through my body very quickly. He groaned, rolling over on his side to face me while he plunked his elbow up and rested his head on his hand. He stared at me, seemingly unfazed by my outbursts.

Was it normal for dinner to hang around in his room? I shivered at the thought.

"Yeah, you're stuck here until I figure out how to get you back to your world. It's not as easy as you may think. So, I would consider taking a breath and seat before you pass out and fall onto the ground. You've barely taken ten normal breaths in the past four minutes." he said, watching me lean against the wall, staying as far from him as I could.

"And I'm not going to eat you. Quit looking at me like I'm the bad guy. I saved your life, feel grateful that I got to you before Cain's guys could do any more to you." I, once again, tensed at his words. I was used to him being the cold vampire by now. I could tell he was annoyed. He groaned again, rolling back over onto his back and covered his hands over his eyes and sighed. I twitched when he swiftly sat up, catching me by surprise and scaring me, thinking he was going to attack me. He shook his head and began to walk across his large room and to the door.

"Don't go anywhere," he warned, opening the door. My eyes widened. He was going to leave me here…alone?

"Where are you going?" I blurted out before he walked through his door.

"To get something to eat," he replied in a low voice before closing the door behind him. I ran over to the door just when I heard a click. My heart was pounding in my head while I reach for the door handle. I growled when it didn't move, confirming that it was locked. I could hear him talking to someone on the other side of the door. I pressed my ear against the cold wooden door, trying to listen to the conversation.

"Don't let the girl out of this room. And don't even think about doing anything with her," Desmond warned in a dark voice.

The other person chuckled. "Whatever gave you the idea I wanted her?" the voice questioned with hidden amusement. It was Desmond's brother, Lucas. I could feel Desmond's glare from the opposite side of the door.

"Don't play dumb. I saw you eyeing her earlier. Heed my warning, little brother." I figured that Lucas didn't like being called that by the following growl he made.

"And just where are you going?" he demanded in a darker tone than before. Yup, that proved that he didn't like the title of "little brother". Desmond's footsteps stopped after a second.

"I'm going to go get something to drink," It sounded almost like he was upset about telling his brother that.

Lucas laughed. "What's the matter? Is the girl already driving you up a wall? Or is it that you're afraid that you can't control yourself?" Lucas mocked. I heard Desmond growl, followed by a loud bang. I held myself back from wanting to turn the doorknob again to force the door open. What had happened? I pressed my ear closer to the door and dearly regretted it. I loud bang came from the other side of the door, sending vibrations through my ear.

"Ow! Damn it!" I almost yelled, grabbing my ear, sure I had broken an eardrum. Someone had hit the other side of the door, sending loud vibrations through the door and into my ear.

"Maybe that will teach you not to eavesdrop on people's conversation." Desmond's voice held amusement. I pulled my hand away from my ear. It now had a constant ringing sound. I cursed Desmond, barely able to hear him walk down the hall.

How did he know I was listening?

As soon as Desmond's footsteps had faded, I heard the door unlock. By this time, I had moved away from the door and to the other side of the room, afraid of whom it was. Lucas stepped into the room, a crooked smile on his face while he closed the door behind him. My heart almost dropped when he reached for the lock and clicked it over.

"W-what are you doing?" I stuttered, beginning to back away from him. His smirk turned evil when he pulled away from the door and began to walk toward me.

"Stay away from me!" I yelled, trying to be brave, when really I was scared for my life. Why did Desmond have to leave? He knew what was going to happen, didn't he? The thought alone made me want to cry.

"Come on. It won't hurt, trust me. It will just be like a little prick, and then it's over. You will barely feel anything." he said with a sadistic smile. I backed away from him until I felt there was no more room for me to back away, coming in contact with the wall. Within a blink of an eye, Lucas was in front of me, looming down at me, staring at me with predatory eyes.

I found some courage in me and tried to slap him to get away, but his reflexes were so fast that he caught my wrist as though I had moved in slow motion. I lost my breath, feeling his hand reach out to touch my neck. I shivered, his hand freezing cold, just like Desmond's and everyone else in his family.

He chuckled at my reaction. "Shivers of pleasure?" he mocked, moving my hair to the side to reveal my bare neck. I gasped when I felt his head bend down to my neck, sharp pointed fangs sliding across my milky skin. I did the last thing I could think of doing at that second.

"DESMOND!" I shouted as loud as I could with every bit of voice I could conjure up. The next few seconds were all a blur. Lucas's fangs began to sink in, but didn't get very far before he was suddenly thrown off me and across the room and against the wall, denting it as he came in contact with it. Desmond was standing protectively in front of me, his fangs showing as he growled. It was the exact same look I had seen earlier.

"Get out...NOW!" he snapped at Lucas, who was picking himself off the ground. As Lucas stood to his feet, he glared at Desmond, as though a defeated wolf who had just lost his prey to a stronger foe. I shivered at the thought, again. He stomped out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. His footsteps are heard walking down the hall, and eventually fade. Desmond loosened up from in front of me and sighed loudly while shaking his head.

"You're going to be more of a problem than I thought," he grumbled, slouching and walking back over to his bed and plopped down on it as though he were a rag doll. I was a bit lost at this point. Well, the ravenous blood urges proved the vampire part of this family. I carefully walked over to the bed to stand next to it, staring over Desmond's closed eyes and pleasant face. Well, it wasn't quite pleasant; more annoyed than anything.

I chewed on my nails, staring over him, making the only noise in the room. He opened one eye, looking at me from beside his bed. He sighed, rolling over and motioned for me to lie beside him. I gave him a shy and slightly afraid look. I didn't know what he wanted, or if he was serious about me lying next to him. Only a couple minutes ago he had been complaining about how he needed to get something to eat.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," he assured me as he rolled over to make more room for me on his big bed.

"I thought you said you needed to get something to eat." I wondered aloud, raising my eyebrow at him. He sighed again and he murmured a few things under his breath.

"I already did. Now get in the bed," he demanded in a stern voice. I jolted from his sudden command and slowly began to sit on the bed, not wanting to make any wrong moves and push him over the edge. I gasped loudly when one of his hands surrounded my wrist and forced me onto the bed and onto my back in a quick flash. I had lost my breath…again.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked. My back had gone all rigid from landing on the bed wrong. I was sure I had pulled something from being so tense all night.

"Yeah, you were taking too long." he replied frankly with his back turned toward me. I sighed and began to close my eyes, feeling comfortable on the soft bed and forgetting Desmond was lying next to me. That was enough to make me fall into a well needed sleep.

My dreams were terrifying. Everywhere I turned, I was faced with red eyes. I couldn't escape from them. They were the darkest and evilest eyes I had ever seen. They were all eyeing me with hunger, beckoning for me to follow them. Coldness surrounded me, the coldest feeling you could possibly feel. It was as though I had been dropped in an icy water and couldn't escape; couldn't breathe.

"Grace!" I heard a loud voice echo through the darkness as the red eyes faded away. My eyes shot open and revealed a worried looking Desmond. I sat up, pushing Desmond off me while I gasped for air. My face was wet with sweat.

"Are you okay? What did you see?" Desmond demanded in a serious voice, grabbing my shoulders and forcing me to stare at him. I was still shaken up, shivering from the sudden cold hands of his touching my burning wet skin.

"Yeah," I breathed out, trying to slow myself down. Desmond turned my face to look at him. He looked deeply into my eyes with a sudden worry.

"Tell me what you saw," he said in a less demanding tone, now taking into consideration how scared I was right now. I breathed in a few more times before I found my voice.

"There were red eyes everywhere. I couldn't see anything but red eyes, and they were telling me to follow them, only they weren't speaking. It's like I felt I _had_ to follow them." I had to take deep breaths a couple of times, still having trouble breathing. Desmond's eyes widened when he listened to my reply, the first time of real worry I had seen in his eyes.

"What?" he whispered. I looked to him and stared at him in horror. His face showed true worry. That couldn't be a good thing. I jolted when his head suddenly shot to his window with a growl. I quickly followed his gaze and gasped. There in the window were two beady red eyes, staring straight at me. I almost screamed, but Desmond covered my mouth with his hands to shut me up.

"Shit. We need to get out of here," he said, exasperated, grabbing my hand and quickly pulling me off the bed. He dragged me out the door and down the many steps of the mansion until we got to the first floor where his family was sitting around the T.V. They all stood, seeing Desmond running with me dragging behind him toward the front door.

"What is it?" Darien demanded. The hurried look in Desmond's pace was proof that something wasn't right. All of his family suddenly looked just as panicked as him.

"It's Cain's guys," he quickly replied. He grabbed the car keys from his pocket and continued to drag me by my wrist out the front door. We jumped the stairs of the front porch and ran to his black Dodge Viper.

"Get in the car now!" he shouted hastily while he ran to the other side of the car. Before I could even get in the car, he had already gotten in and started the engine and putting the car in reverse. I fell back into the seat and moved my foot out of the way just as the door shut. Before I knew it, 

we were backing quickly out of the gravel driveway. Desmond didn't even care to look behind him while he drove the car backwards at a fast speed.

I closed my eyes tight, afraid to look out my window as we drove backwards for minutes, the bumpy road making me feel nauseous. It felt like forever before I felt the car stop when we reach another dirt road. Desmond gracefully put the car in 'drive' and slammed his foot on the gas, making the wheels screech, spinning for at least a few seconds before the car took off with amazing speed.

I closed my eyes tighter, the bumpy road continuing. The moon didn't help at all either. It was reflecting off the trees, making them more visible than I would like while we zipped past them. I gasped when the car hit a hard bump, making it jolt wildly. I was never good with bumpy roller coasters.

After ten minutes, which felt even like an eternity, I finally felt the smooth feeling of concrete. We had reached another road. I sighed loudly and almost I had to bite my tongue from keeping myself from getting sick. I was lucky I didn't get sick in the _very _nice car. I finally looked up from the floor and looked to the speedometer of the car. My eyes widen when the speedometer read over 126 MPH. I looked to Desmond with a frightful look in my eyes, not sure what to think of this whole situation.

"What is going on?" I demanded in a half scared voice. He looked to me from the side, as he usually did, not taking his face away from the road in front of him. He sighed, shaking his head, and growling while he gritted his teeth.

"Damn it, why did he have to choose you? Why did you have to run into him?" he asked more to himself than me. My heart was pounding in my head again.

"Who? What are you talking about?" I asked exasperated.

His grip on the wheel tightened, opening his eyes to glare ahead of him. "You remember how I told you about the Lord of the Underworld taking an interest in you?" he asked slowly, making sure that I heard his every word very clearly.

I slowly nodded my head, afraid about where this was leading. "Yes. What about it?" I asked in a shaky voice. The adrenaline was messing with my voice again.

He growled again, slamming his fist on the steering wheel so hard that I was worried he was going to break it off.

"Damn, why did he have to choose you? You just had to run into him," he growled with disappointment. I didn't know who he was talking about.

"Who? Why do you keeping saying that over again?" I asked.

He glared daggers at the road ahead of him as he spoke the name, "Cain." His hands tightened around the steering wheel again. "You had to run into Cain." He said the name with distaste. I twitched uncomfortably when he spoke the name. "You see, Cain isn't like anyone else, kind of like Lucifer." I jerked again. For some reason, when he spoke of those two, it gave me the shivers.

"What do you mean he's not like anyone else? What makes him so special?" I asked spitefully, disliking Cain more and more. Sure, he seemed like a nice guy when I first met him, but as I heard his name over the last couple of days, I had grown to detest the guy. Desmond looked away from the road and sent me a looks that said "do you really want to know?" I remained silent, staring into his eyes, afraid to know the truth.

"What makes him so special?" he repeated my question. He paused for a moment while he stared ahead of him, intensifying the moment for me.

"He's the son of the Devil. He's Lucifer's son." He made sure that I knew what he was talking about, that's for sure. He could have gone without saying the same thing twice. I was sure my mouth was ajar in shock. I had thought that I couldn't be surprised any more this night but, oh, I had been wrong, _very _wrong. I coughed a little bit, forgetting how to breathe for a second, trying to make sure I had heard his words correctly. I knew he had, but my mind didn't want to take it in, to admit it.

"You're kidding me? Please tell me you're joking." I was practically begging, wishing that he had been trying to worry me even more. I knew he wasn't. Desmond wasn't the clowning around type.

He shook his head. "Why do you think I warned you to stay away from him? You didn't think it was because I was jealous, did you?" My eyes dropped to the floor. If he saw what answer was in my eyes, he would know without a second glance. He noticed my silence and smirked at me. I saw it, and I cringed on the inside. He had seen right through me. I almost felt a blush come to my cheeks. Yeah, I had assumed it was because he was jealous and was being protective. Well, I was half way correct.

"You really thought I was jealous?" he mocked from beside me, taking short glances from me and back to the road. My face scrunched up into a glare. I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance. I hated being humiliated, especially by cute guys. Cute was an understatement when it came to Desmond. He chuckled quietly beside me, obviously amused by my annoyed and embarrassed look.

"It's not funny!" I shouted loudly, glowering not at him, but at the window. I knew I wouldn't be able to stare into his eyes and remain angry, not for long.

He laughed louder at my demanding tone and angry face. "Grace, I think I am beginning to understand why they want you."

"And why is that?" I growled, just as annoyed as before. Desmond slowed himself down. I gasped; caught by surprise when he grabbed my chin and forced me to stare at him. My face turned willingly on its own. My eyes landed on him, and I blushed at the sight of his beautiful smirk, his fangs shining in the moonlight.

"You're unlike any other human," he replies in a soft voice.

I scoffed considerably loud, tearing my chin from his grip."If you think so, you should really study your humans. I am nothing but a normal human girl," I replied, just as bluntly as he had while I looked away from him and out the window. I was getting tired of being embarrassed around Desmond. I was really going to have to work on my facial expressions if I was going to try to keep my emotions to myself.

He replied with a small smile. "I wouldn't be so sure of yourself."


	6. Running & Chasing

**Chapter 6**

Running & Chasing

I was sure that my face was red; it felt hot. It was one of two things; **one:** I was still shaken up from all that had happened tonight, or **two:** I was embarrassed from Desmond's last comment. He had spoken as though I were an object, a thing to own. What kind of world was this?! One where they _owned_ people? It was getting weirder and weirder as the night went on.

"Relax. You look like you're about to be eaten or something," Desmond said, taking notice of my tense body and red face. I, once again, cringed from his words. Was that supposed to imply something? Was he planning on eating me? Desmond, again, noticed me jolt from his words and shook his head, rolling his eyes a bit.

"Okay, I didn't mean it like that," he tried to correct himself. It was too late to try to make me feel less nervous. I felt like a worm on a big hook, unable to break free of this trap I could feel wind itself around me like a dark cloud. What was to happen to me? And why me?

"Why me?" I repeated the question aloud on accident, getting lost in my own thoughts. Desmond looked to me while he drove his sports car, an eyebrow rising to me and my strange and lost look. His eyes moved back to the road, a short silence falling between us. I usually hated silences, but I didn't care right now. In fact, I was happy there was a bit of silence. After what had happened tonight, I didn't mind the quietness of the air. For some reason, it didn't feel uncomfortable around Desmond like it would other people. My eyes closed, finally trying to relax for the first time in the night, other than the short nap I had had earlier.

"Are you okay?" Desmond asked from beside me.

I opened my eyes a bit to stare out the passenger window, a plain look falling across my features. "I'm not sure anymore. How am I supposed to believe I'm not crazy when I'm seeing vampires and red eyes?"

He chuckled. He quietly nodded his head. "Good point," he agreed with amusement. "But if you were crazy, would you really be admitting it?" I wasn't sure how to reply to his question. I had never met a lot of crazy people, other than my friends, but that was a different kind of crazy.

I shrugged my shoulders a bit. "I don't really know what to believe or think anymore. You're a vampire, and you say there are other creatures out there," I replied the best I could without really sounding too upset.

"Yes, many other creatures," he said with a sudden seriousness in his voice.

I couldn't help but ask the obvious question, already dieing to know the answer. "What are the other creatures?" I tried not to sound too interested, but it was hard to hide it. His lips press into a hard line while he remained silent for a few moments, his eyes scanning across the road for anything that might come in its path at any random instant.

"Too many to identify, but I'll just name off the ones you are familiar with. Or you might even be able to," he said, sending me a quick glance.

I smirked a little, loving the idea of naming off some of my personal favorite creatures that I had studied or read about. "Well, of course, vampires. Werewolves, demons, witches, dark angels, nymphs, faeries, zombies-"

"Yeah, I think you've got the point. In other words, you're in a dangerous world where not a lot of humans survive, and generally if they do, they frequently end up a snack." I choked at his words, gasping for air as though I had just been suffocated. I coughed a few times, not sure if it was my saliva or lack of saliva from coughing. Why did he have to say something like that? I had just relaxed a bit, and now I felt even tenser than before!

"Hey, I said there were not _a lot_ of humans. That doesn't mean there aren't any. Actually, now that I think about it, there are quite a few. Heck, I know of few vampires who fell in love with some. You want to know the truth, don't you? Well, you got it." He was acting as though I was supposed to take this all lightly. He was trying to help me out? How was telling me I was most likely going to be eaten helping me? It just made me feel even more paranoid now.

I growled, "Thanks for being so blunt."I crossed my arms over my chest, watching as we drove on through the night. "Where are we going?" I finally asked the question that had been eating at the back of my mind.

"Somewhere they won't find us," he replied. It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"That's what you said when we went to your house." Why did I get the feeling he was lying about all of this? His lips pressed into a hard line again, keeping his eyes ahead of him.

"True, but I also said 'for a while' when we were at my house. They'll have a much harder time tracking us down at this place." I sighed. I knew I had no choice but to trust him.

"What about your family?" I asked. I had been thinking of mine for a while, though I was trying as little of that as possible. If I thought of my parents, I would feel upset. My mother had practically begged me not to leave. I wished I had listened to her. Would I ever see them again? It was a question I hated to ask myself, but worried more than anything of the answer. They were off in a different world, far away from where I could be.

Desmond heard the concern in my voice and his eyes get warmer, seeing the look of worriment on my face. He knew what I was thinking. "They'll be fine. They can take care of themselves. Besides, they are not the ones they're after. Like my brother said, you seem to be getting popular in this world." He ended with a small smirk, making shivers run down my spine. He just had to be so cute and good looking. And he knew he had that effect on me, even though I had only known him for a day. He was probably used to seducing humans. Heck, he had to if he was a vampire who drank human blood, though most of them were probably willing. A vampire has to be very good at seducing humans if they want to get what they want. I had read in some stories 

that just by looking in their eyes they could put one into a reverie, giving them the perfect chance to get what they want without the human feeling pain. It was only fair, I thought.

"Why do they want me anyways?" I asked with a shaky voice, feeling nervous from his crooked smile. He could look so cute and innocent one minute, and then the next he can look evil and malicious. Both were very appealing when it came to Desmond. Once again, he paused for a moment, pondering his thoughts. It was times like these I wasn't sure I could trust Desmond. He was unpredictable, powerful, and a vampire. His looks couldn't entirely convince me he was a good guy with good intensions. What part did he play in this story? I looked to him when I heard him swallow, obviously not looking like he wanted to tell me.

"Truthfully," he began with a sigh, "I don't know. You have something they want, that's all I can tell at this point. If I could tell you more, I would." I could tell he was lying. The look on his face and his eyes proved to me that he was lying and hating to. I sighed sadly, turning back to the passenger window, trying to ignore his presence as we drove on through the night. Finally, sleeps found me for the third time in this long night. When was the sun going to rise? It had felt like forever since we had been in this nightmare. Maybe this time when I fell asleep I would wake from the nightmare and be back on the Grey Hound Bus. I could only hope.

I was slammed awake, my head hitting against the window I was leaning against, my eyes snapping open while I grabbed my head in pain. I groaned, opening my eyes, looking to see that Desmond's teeth were gritting as he was zigzagging across the road. We were going too fast for me to see anything.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted, my head now pounding in immense pain. I was sure I had a minor concussion. He snarled beside me when he suddenly jolts the car, slamming on his breaks, and then pushing on the gas pedal.

"They caught up to us quicker than I thought they would," he growled, turning on the steering wheel hard right, missing something that was standing right in the middle of the road. I covered my mouth to keep myself from screaming when I saw red eyes from many areas in front of us, all spread out amongst the trees and shrubberies. Desmond slammed his foot on the gas, pushing the car's speed past 100 MPH again. I felt sorry for his car, even if it was made for speed. I started to hyperventilate when I looked in the passenger side mirror, only to see many red eyes following us in hot pursuit. I bit my tongue, trying my hardest not to scream.

"Shit," Desmond grumbled from beside me. I jolted my head to him, my eyes widening in panic. When Desmond cursed, it was a bad sign. My seatbelt locked, threatening to choke me, when he abruptly turns the car, just missing the red eyes that had jumped in front of the car.

He quickly mumbled, "Hold on." He swerved the car again, going off the paved road and onto another dirt road, only this one wasn't as bumpy. I closed my eyes, holding back the impulse of looking in the mirror to see if the red eyes were following us. I grabbed a hold of the door handle, like it would save me from all that could go wrong. I felt like crying from panic, but 

knew that I had to keep myself together. I had made it this far; I couldn't breakdown just yet. I felt Desmond take a quick glance to me, making sure I wasn't having a heart attack or anything. I was close to having one.

He spoke. "I hope this works." I opened my eyes a fragment, to stare ahead in the same direction he was, a determined and fierce look on his face. I stared ahead, finally noticing some strange sort of barrier right ahead of us. It looked as if a giant piece of light purple visqueen had been placed across the road, only it reached the top of the trees and looked like it went on forever. I closed my eyes, grabbing onto the door even tighter, which I hadn't thought was possible. I screamed, covering my face with my arms when we finally looked like we were going to run into a wall. I knew that between the two people in the car, I was more likely to die if we hit a wall. The next thing I knew, the car was screeching to a stop. I brought my arms down a tiny bit and peeked my eyes open a bit, afraid that I was dead from crashing or ramming into the wall-like barrier. To my surprise, we were now parked in front of a nice looking summer house. I blinked a few times, trying to register what had just happened.

"W-what? How did we get here?" I was completely lost. How did we get from driving 100 MPH through a forest to parking in front of a summer house on the water? I felt like I had just been through a moment of _Back to the Future_. It was as though the car had gone so fast that we ended up in a different dimension.

I looked over to see Desmond staring down, a plain look crossing his features, looking lost in thought. He probably didn't even hear my question. I finally exhaled, letting the air that I had been holding since the chase had ended, feeling a little light headed while we both sat in silence.

"Say something," I finally begged, now hating the silence. It scared me for some reason. The fact that I thought that we were truly going to die made me want to be comforted by his words. Desmond glanced to me, sending me a passive look before returning to looking down. He unlocked the door and opened it before he climbed out, shutting the door behind him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he began to make his way toward the house. I, on the other hand, felt like a Popsicle. I felt as though I were frozen in place, still trying to recover from what had just happened.

I never took my eyes off his back while he walked up the steps and onto the deck. He grabbed something from his pocket, taking it out of its package and sticking it in his mouth, followed by lighting the end and taking a large inhale. I hated smokers. I watched him from inside the car, his hair blowing in the wind while he continued to inhale and let smoke escape his mouth.

I finally found my bindings after moments of watching him and unbuckle my seatbelt, opening the door slowly. My legs were shaking when they touched the dirt ground. I really wasn't dreaming, which was too bad. Desmond didn't even care to take a single glance to me while he smoked his cigarette, looking off into the distance with a calm exterior. I followed his line of walking up the steps until I reached the deck, cautiously walking to him.

He said, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." I slowly inched my way toward him. I took in a deep breath while I made my way to him, my feet finding more courage to step toward him. I 

walked next to him and leaned on the same banner he was. I sighed and I looked over his plain face while he held the white stick in between his fingers.

"You shouldn't do that, you know?" He finally looked at me, lifting an eyebrow at me while I glared at him.

"Why? I'm already dead," he replied plainly, taking another drag.

I scoffed at him quietly. "You may be, but I'm not. Ever thought of secondhand smoking?" I questioned. His lips twitched a bit, repressing a smile. I did the same when he took the cigarette and put it out.

"I bet you're a little confused at this point," he admitted, staring down at the broken cigarette.

I chuckled a bit, fake humility perfect in my laugh. "A little? Try completely lost," I corrected. I shivered when he chuckles. Damn it, this was getting ridiculous. Everything he did was angelic, or whatever it was that described perfect.

"I suspected as much. I was hoping you would have slept through that little chase, but I guess you're a light sleeper." I didn't comment. He was beating around the bush, and I was waiting for answers. "I saw the look on you face as we entered the portal. You looked as though you were going to die," he joked, sending me a smirk. I didn't return it, but instead looked down to my fingers, trying to avoid his gaze.

"I did. I was sure it was a wall you were going to ram into. I'm sorry for freaking out, but we don't have portals in the human world," I explained to him. He probably already knew that, but I thought it wise to remind him anyways. I laughed quietly when the thought of the _Back to the Future_ entered my thoughts again.

He smirked with me. "What are you smiling about?"

"I was just thinking about how much the portal had reminded me of _Back to the Future_. Going so fast that we end up in a different dimension thing, you know?"

He shook his head then, but he couldn't hold back the smirk. "Come on. I bet you're pretty tired. You look like you could get some sleep," he said, reaching for my wrist. I turned red when his hands felt warm and soft when he led me into the summer house.

"Whose house is this?" I inquired as he opened the glass door and led me into the dark house.

"Mine," he replied as though it was obvious. My jaw dropped a little. He had two nice houses? If I were lucky, I would maybe get to visit one of my aunt's or uncle's houses that looked maybe half the size and half as nice.

"How many houses do you have, exactly?" I asked with my eyes wide. Everything in the house was nice. Of course, there was the large plasma T.V. hanging on the wall in the big living room. 

Two large couches sat in front of it, speakers placed in at least twelve different places. Half of them we are least four feet tall. He chuckled, ignoring my question and leading me past the kitchen, which was big and pearly white, just like the rest of the house.

"When you've been living for so long, you tend to gather quite a bit of money." That was the other thing that made me curious; how old was he? "I'll tell you how old I am after you've had some rest," he said, almost like he had read my mind. I stared down at our connected hands and blush a bit. It was strange; his hands weren't cold anymore, unlike the first time he had touched me.

I followed him up the stairs and to the second floor, trying to take a glance into some of the rooms as we passed them, but he was pulling me past them too quickly for me to tell what the rooms looked like. I almost ran into him when he makes an abrupt stop at one of the doors and opens it.

"This is my room, but you can stay in here," he said with clandestine amusement, as though hiding an inside joke.

I raised my eyebrow to him in perplexity. "And why does it matter that I stay in your room instead of any of the other hundred rooms we passed?" I was exaggerating. There weren't as many rooms as there were at his family house, but it was still a point to make cross. He gave me a twisted look, finally letting go of my wrist and sat down on his bed, an appeased smirk crossing his lips.

"I want to keep an eye on you. Which means you'll be sleeping with me tonight." He ended by showing his fangs with his smile. I tensed from his words, glancing to the bed. Sure, it was a king size bed, but for some reason, the wicked smirk on his face and the thought of sleeping in the same bed made it look even smaller.

"Excuse me?" I asked, trying to keep up with his words. He patted the spot next to him, his smirk never leaving his face.

I swallowed hard, taking baby steps to reach the bed. I glanced to the other side of the room to see another giant couch. "You know, I can just sleep on the couch." Sure, I was trying to think up of an excuse. For some reason, the tone of his voice, the look on his face, and the thought of being close to him suddenly made me nervous. Earlier he sounded like he didn't give a damn whether or not I slept on the same bed. Now he sounded like he had something up his sleeve. He rolled his eyes while he watched me walk _very_ slowly towards him.

"I'm not going to force you to do anything. Besides, you're hardly my type." I frowned at his comment. That one hurt. My ego fell right out the window and splattered. Why did I even care? He was just a really hot vampire, nothing more. I slumped onto the bed, sitting and falling onto my back as far away from Desmond as possible. I rolled over on my side and turned my backs toward him, suddenly feeling pissed. And from the way he was smiling, he knew it.

"Sleep—I'll go and get you something to eat." At that, he stood up off the bed and walked out the door, leaving it open incase anything happened. I groaned. I was a little more than tired. I let sleep take over me, hoping to get more sleep than I had in the past couple of hours of trying to. I knew by this time it was pointless to think that I would awake from a dream, this nightmare.


	7. Clouded Deception

**Chapter 7**

Clouded Deception

I finally slept without any nightmares. No red eyes, no demons, just darkness. That's how I liked it. Unfortunately, that pleasant sleep was broken by the feeling of a soft hand caressing my arm, and the coldness caught me by surprise. I didn't want to open my eyes, I wanted to continue sleeping. I feigned sleep, but I knew that Desmond could tell if I was asleep or not. An angelic and quiet chuckle shook the bed a little while the hand pressed against my cheek moved and tucked a bit of my hair behind my ear.

"You're cute when you sleep," Desmond whispered in a husky voice. My eyes snapped open then, making sure I wasn't dreaming. As soon as my eyes were open they were confronted with a plate full of fruit and a bit of ramen. I stared at it for a moment, not sure if the food was real or not. Did they have ramen in this other world? I sat up a bit, feeling my back crack a few times from sitting in a car for so long. Or maybe it was the rough car ride.

"It's not poisoned," Desmond reassured me as I continued to stare at the food. I finally sat up all the way, sitting next to him while he handed me the plate of food and sat it in my lap. I quietly thanked him, a bit shy from his 'you're cute' comment.

I slowly picked at the food, checking to see how it tasted before sticking more of it in my mouth. It felt strange having someone watch me as I ate. I looked at him from my peripherals multiple times while I slowly ate. I wanted to tell him that his gaze was making me uncomfortable, but dang; I just couldn't say the words. Deep inside, in a place that I kept to myself, I secretly wanted Desmond to keep his eyes on me. I could feel him eyeing my every move. My first thought that he was eyeing me because I looked pretty, which I knew was probably not the case. And then I remembered what he was, and that made me think twice. I was food to him, so the likelihood that he was thinking innocent thoughts was less than likely. But even despite the fact that he might be staring at me in a way one stares at glorious food, I still liked it. Yes, I enjoyed being in the company of Desmond. Why? Perhaps I was a fool. Yeah, that sounded about right.

He snorted. "Can you eat any slower?"

I finally turned my head to send him an obvious look. "I'm not exactly used to people watching me while I eat," I grumbled, stuffing a piece of an orange in my mouth.

He chuckled, making the bed move again. "Get used to it. I don't want to take my chances anymore."

I stopped nibbling on my food for a moment, turning to face him. I didn't turn away this time when he stared straight at me with his perfect caramel eyes. "What's that supposed to mean? How long do you think it will take to find me a way home? I don't want to be stuck here." I was panicking a bit, the thought of never going back home terrifying me. I didn't want to be stuck in this human-eating world. I wanted to go back to my world; that's where I belonged.

Desmond shrugged his shoulders a bit, looking away from me as though hiding his eyes. "I don't know. But I will try to get you back home," he promised in a quiet voice. He now refused to look at me. I now didn't trust him on this one. I sighed and tried to shrug it off, still feeling tired from this long night. I sat the plate of food down on the large bed and lay onto my back and turned away from him. I was already feeling homesick. I sighed again, louder this time, trying to let all the traumatic thoughts pass so that I could fall to sleep again. I didn't move when I felt Desmond set the plate on the nightstand and lie on the bed next to me.

I tried not to move away from him when he brought himself closer to me. I closed my eyes and attempted to ignore him, but it was probably unlikely to happen. I struggled not to forget how to breathe when he rolled over toward me, so that his breath was hitting against the back of my neck. It sent shivers down my spine.

"You're shivering," he whispered, bringing himself closer to me. It was then at that point that I turned rigid and breathless. His body was now less than a centimeter from mine, his breath trailing across the back of my neck even more. My mind was racing. I swallowed hard as I tried to think up something but could only think of the truth. I finally made my mind think more clearly.

"I...um, I'm just a little cold," I stuttered, making up a quick lie. Like he was going to buy that one! Only an idiot would miss the sudden panic and lying in my voice.

He chuckled from behind me, and then I felt something cover my feet and make its way up my body. "Well, why didn't you just say so?" he asked with amusement. I knew he was being sarcastic, but I would continue the act naïve anyways. He wrapped a blanket around me and brought the covers up so that I was now in a cocoon. It seemed like a kind and innocent gesture—that was until I felt him take a deep inhale of my scent when he drew closer to me. It was then that I _did_ forget how to breathe. He brought his face down to my head, raising his hand to tuck a piece of my hair behind me ear.

"W-what are you doing?" I breathed in panic. My heart beat faster as I heard him let out a satisfied moan when he inhaled the scent of my hair.

He exhaled loudly, sighing. "You seem a little tense," he mocked in his whispering voice. I tried not to act like the virgin that I was by freaking out and trying to keep myself cool. I felt his fingers trail across my neck, making me tense ever more.

What the hell was he trying to do?!

I tried for scooting farther away from him, only to feel him follow me across the bed. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable next to him. A while ago he had told me I wasn't his type, and now he was trying to press his body against mine? I finally got some space between us and turned to sit up. He had awoken the defensive side in me. I glared at him as I sat up to face him. He raised an eyebrow from my sudden fierceness.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I think you should get the indication that I am uncomfortable with you being so close to me. If you don't, then you're an idiot. So I will only tell you this once tonight. Do not touch me and keep your distance." My eyes were looking dangerous as I glared at Desmond. He, on the other hand, merely lifted his eyebrow higher, a smug look on his face as he listened to my warning.

"Wow," he mumbled after a moment, pure amusement on his face. "That's a first." He ended with slight dissatisfaction. It was my turn to raise my eyebrow at him as he finally turned his eyes away; looking at his nails just like a girl would if she was trying to ignore someone.

"Excuse me?" I asked, moving away from him a little more. I was lucky that the bed was big, but not big enough for my comfort. Desmond looked from his nails and to me, hilarity in his eyes while he watched me bring my legs to my chest, making myself smaller.

"Congratulations. You are the first person to ever turn me down."

I snorted a little, not surprised at all by his comment. I shook my head slightly, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. "That's sad," I murmured after a moment of trying to think of a good comment that wouldn't make me sound like a total bitch, but bitchy enough. I thought of saying _'You're joking...why am I not surprised'_ but that would only lead me into another trap. I heard him chuckle at my boldness. I guess he found my remark funny. How strange...

"Well, you may think it is sad. But if you really knew how powerful I am, I don't think you would be saying such things. Plus, women usually will do anything to get into bed with me. Most would give their soul to be in your place right now."

I rolled my eyes. He couldn't boast more than he was right now. "You're way too full of yourself. Besides, I thought you said I wasn't '_your type_'." I emphasized the 'your type'. I muttered a few curses to myself quietly, but of course he had good hearing and heard my words perfectly.

"Just seeing what your reaction would be," he mused. To my surprise, he lifted himself off the bed and stood to walk over to the other side of the room where there was a large couch. He lay down on the big couch, putting his hands behind his head, turning to stare at me from the couch.

"There, better?" he asked in an amused voice, but there was slight disappointment in his voice, which made me want to smile. I smirked and nodded my head in thanks, climbing back under the covers to lie down, feeling better already. As long as Desmond kept his distance for the moment, I was fine. I didn't want him in the same bed for a couple of reasons. The first was that I was sure my heart would pound so loud and fast that he would hear it, and when it stopped, he would only laugh. The second was that I didn't trust him. Sure, he rescued me a couple of times from being killed, but I knew he was lying about a lot of things. He wasn't telling me something, and that something was a big piece of the puzzle.

I pushed the thoughts away and I welcomed sleep again, feeling satisfied with a belly full of food. It had felt like forever since I had eaten any food. My welcomed sleep didn't last very long. 

Desmond sat up from his spot on the couch and floated over to me. My eyes snapped open when I felt him stand next to the bed, his eyes burning into my skin.

He said, "I forgot to try one thing." He bent his hand down to my hair and pushed it to the side, revealing my neck. I tensed up, feeling his hand slide across my neck and to a certain crook. I jerked away when I felt a sting and immediately grabbed my neck in pain as he pulled his hand away.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I snapped. My neck stung. He pulled his hand back, letting my eyes see the red substance on his finger. He brought the bloodied finger to his mouth and sucked on it. I glared at him while I kept the hand over my cut neck, trying to stop the stinging.

He smirked down at me as he brought his finger away from his mouth, letting out a pleased moan while he licked his lips and winked at me. "Test taste," he replied innocently, turning around and headed back over to his couch. I glowered at him, never keeping my eyes off him. I kept a hand over my neck for a moment. I hated it when I bled. I had lost so much already in my life from previous wounds that I didn't want to lose anymore. I didn't mind when other people did, but whenever I did, I would flip out.

I pulled my hand away from my neck to see a bit of blood stain my palm. I cringed when I returned my hand to my cut, feeling grossed out by the look of my own blood. I crawled over to the middle of the bed and rested my back against the headboard, resting my head against my shoulder, trying to ignore the cut on my neck. It wasn't the fact that I was still bleeding so that I had to keep a hand over my shoulder, it was that I could feel something different about this particular cut Desmond had given me. It felt like little splinters were trying to dig themselves in me. I did my best to ignore the itching feeling and closed my eyes.

"Grace...wake up, Grace." A distant voice was speaking to me. I struggle to open my eyes. They hurt, as though I had kept them open for a long time, when it was actually the opposite. The figure in front of me was a blur for a second or two while they hung over me. I could barely see the smile on their face, and I had to blink the tears from my eyes to really see a perfect figure. As soon as I was able to see, I gasped at the sight of the figure hanging over me, smiling down at me sweetly, just the way I remembered.

"Mom!" I practically screamed, jumping up and wrapping my arms around her neck to bring her into a tight embrace. I felt like crying tears of joy. "Mom, I was so scared. How did you find me? Was it all a dream?" I shot many questions at her. I didn't really care about the answers, only that she was here with me. I smiled when I felt a tear stream down my face as she returned the embrace. She hushed me, comforting me, trying to slow me down as she rubbed my back in a circular motion.

"It's okay now. It's safe. I'm here," she said, whispering comforting words while she held me close to her. It felt like nothing could make this moment change. I was home with her, and that's all that mattered now. This moment made me feel so safe, so at home. Nothing could ruin the moment…that was until I heard a 'click' come from behind me. I tried to turn and see what had made the sound, but my mom refused to let me move from her embrace.

"Let her go, now," I heard the familiar growl of Desmond. I knew it was him, no mistake. I tried for a second time to pull away from my mother, but she still refused to let me move.

"Mom, what are you doing?" She pulled me off the bed rougher than she ever had. That's when I began to panic. I finally had the chance to turn and look behind me. Desmond held a gun in his hand, pointing it right at me...or more like my mother. My eyes widen when I noticed that his teeth were gritting and his eyes were dark. I stared in panic, afraid that he was going to shoot us.

"Desmond, what are you do-"

"Let her go, Cain," Desmond cut me off before I could finish. His voice was calm, but dark. I slowly turned away from him to look back to my mother. I gasped and jolted in shock. My mother no longer held my arms. Cain did. I stared in horror at the beautiful blond, my eyes so wide I was sure they just might pop out. I tried to remember how to think. Cain smirked, looking down to me while he held me in his arms, and then back to Desmond. I gasped again when he twisted me around, bringing my back against his solid chest, facing me to Desmond.

"Desmond, why are you wasting your time on a childish girl? She means nothing to you and everything to me. So why don't you just let me take her so I can return home without having to kill you a second time." Cain's voice was no longer kind, unlike the last time I had met him. He was so kind when I first met him, the perfect image of an angel. The angel part of him was definitely gone now and was replaced with little demon horns. Desmond didn't move a muscle and continued to keep his gun pointed at Cain.

"You heard me. Let the girl go," he repeated for the third time, his voice getting angrier after every syllable. I started to breathe faster when Cain's arm wrapped around my waist, his other hand moving to my neck. His touch was still icy.

"Come on, Desmond. You and I both know you don't have the heart to feel anything for this girl. Just let me have her and reduce the troubles for you." Cain's breath slid against my cheek while he pulled my hair back to the side to reveal my ear. I shuddered in fear. I could now feel the evil surround him, like an aura of wickedness.

I closed my eyes for a second, wishing this would all end. I opened my eyes to stare straight at Desmond, desperation in my eyes, begging him to help me. I had never felt so weak until now. Desmond's eyes turned warm for a second, but fierce again as they traveled back to Cain once more. A look sparked in his eyes, and I screamed and ducked as I heard him pull the trigger, followed by a loud bang, making my ears ring. I felt the hold on me release and all the evil disbanded.

"You will pay, Desmond," the dark voice echoed in the dark room and slowly faded away. I blinked a few times, feeling my knees become weak. I blinked once more and let out the breath I had held in almost the whole time, letting myself slump to the ground and onto my knees. Desmond put the safety on his gun and stuffed it in the back of his pants, just how all the other guys did when they were trying to hide a gun. He walked over to me and kneeled down beside me, looking over my face. I jerked away when he put a hand on my shoulder. I felt so paranoid.

"I know you're going to get tired of me saying this, but are you okay?" His voice was so leveled, how could he not feel any bit of panic after shooting a gun and almost hitting me? I was in a bit of a daze, not believing what had just happened.

"She wasn't real...she looked so real..." I was sounded like a lunatic, one that belonged locked up after uttering things over and over again.

Desmond merely nodded his head, trying to help me out a bit. "Yes, Cain has great power and uses it for his own twisted pleasure. He was the one who created the illusion he put you in." I heard his word perfectly, but didn't want to listen to them. They didn't register anyways. The mind denied some things it didn't like. I wanted to stand to my feet and scream. Instead, I began to cry. I had thought I saw my mom and was in her arms again, only to find I was in the Devil's son's arms.

Desmond stared at me with a bit of sympathy, watching the tears fall down my face. I didn't try to deny him when he pulled me toward him and into an embrace. He was probably only doing it to make me stop crying. I didn't care. I just continued to cry like the little girl Cain said I was.

"It's alright now. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Desmond whispered as he vowed quietly to himself. His arms slid under my legs and lifted me up as though I were paper and began to carry me out of the house.

He said, "We need to get out of here. They will be able to find this place now that Cain knows where we are, and he will send others to fetch you." I didn't know what to say, and I didn't want to speak. I didn't want to do anything but cry, and that's what I did.

Some would call me childish, but after tonight, I deserved a good cry. I wrapped my arms around Desmond's neck while he carried me down the stairs, out the door, and down to the sports car. He opened the door with ease and slid me into the passenger seat. He appeared on the other side of the car and slid into the driver's seat before I had the chance to blink.

"Where are we going now?" I croaked. I had a feeling I wasn't going to be able to stop crying for a while. The sun was beginning to rise, the first bit of sunlight I had seen in what felt like ages.

Desmond sighed, rubbing his eyelids. "I don't know. I've got to get somewhere to hide from the sun. I can only withstand the sun for a certain amount of time before it begins to take effect on me." I had always believed that vampires couldn't step out in the sun. But I guess when it came to a vampire as strong as Desmond, you had special abilities.

I nodded my head, snuffling a couple of times. He started the car and took off on the dirt road once more, off to find a new place to hide.

How long was this chase going to last?


	8. Friend Or Foe

**Chapter 8**

Friend or Foe

We were on the road, speeding at around 100 MPH, when the sun had finally risen. I embraced it, closing my eyes and letting the warmth of its light fill me. I had been cold, shaking with shock. My body had been through hell, and the distress had finally caught up with me when I had let out all my emotions and cried my eyes out. It couldn't have been more than an hour before I was drained of tears, and for that I was thankful.

Desmond had been scratching his arms uncomfortably within the first ten minutes of light. I didn't want to ask what was wrong, and I was afraid what his answer would be. It just figured; I was finally safe, and Desmond wasn't. It was the best time of time for me to be outside, and the worst for Desmond. I was so comfortable in the warmth of the sun. Desmond, on the other hand, was not. His fingers began to tap on the steering wheel nervously, and that's when my eyes finally turned to him.

"How much longer are you able to handle the sun?" I dreaded to wonder what the answer would be, but knew that it best to know how much longer we had until he needed to find a place away from the sun. He didn't reply at first, thinking about the answer himself. It was just my day. I was now at a point of the day where I was safest, and I was stuck with a vampire who couldn't stand the sun for a very long time. I groaned at the thought. This was _not_ working out the way I had hoped.

"Not very long," he finally replied with an annoyed sigh. "I am usually able to stay out in the sun for a longer period of time, but since I haven't drunk a lot of blood lately, I am weakening." I wearily looked over him, and turned bright red. I quickly looked away, trying to hide my face from him. The sun was hitting his face perfectly, lighting all his perfect features while he stared ahead of him.

Why did he have to be so good looking?

I tried to think of something other than his looks and played with my fingers, cracking them as I did. My muscles were stiff all over from the rough night and being tense for three quarters of the night. I swallowed when an idea popped into my mind and looked to the floor of the car instead of the gorgeous vampire that sat beside me.

"Um...do you want me to drive? I mean, it would give you a chance to hide from the sun a bit instead of enduring whatever you are enduring right now." I tried not to stutter over my own words, and succeeded…for the moment.

He looked to me then, lifting an eyebrow at me, not sure if I was serious or not. "Excuse me? I'm sorry, but I thought you said you wanted to drive my car." Well, at least I tried to come up with an idea. He obviously didn't like it. He must really not trust me driving his car. I sighed and shook my head, making sure that he wouldn't see. I looked out the window of the car, watching the trees pass by quickly as we drove on through the deserted road, at least that's what it looked like. I couldn't help but glance to Desmond when he scratched his forearm for the hundredth time. My eyes widened at the sight of his skin burning, starting to peel.

I shouted, "You're hurting yourself, you idiot!" I went to put a hand on his, but attached myself to the seat instead. "Stop being an ass! Let me drive."

He had been caught by surprise from my outburst, but not surprised enough to swerve. Of course, he had amazing instincts and could probably drive with his eyes closed without crashing. If it had been me driving and he had shouted, I'd have gone off the road. It was the first time I had really demanded and yelled at him like that. He noticed that I was staring at his arm and followed my line of sight. He glared at his arm, pulling his sleeves down lower, but it still didn't prove anything to me.

"It's nothing," he replied nonchalantly, his eyes returning to the road. My mouth dropped. He cared more about his pride than his body? Typical guy…

"I don't think burning skin is nothing. Let me drive. You can hide in the back and away from the sun," I demanded again. He turned away from the road and glared at me, telling me that he was not going to budge. I gladly returned the glare. I was not going to be pushed around like a little girl anymore. After what had happened the previous night, I was sure I could handle anything. I was probably getting ahead of myself, but at this point and time, I didn't care.

"Can you even drive?" he grumbled in a low voice. I cringed when I took another glance to his arm. I could tell he was in pain. He was able to pull down the shades of the car to shade his face, but couldn't stop the sun from burning his arms. And I was guessing that the clothes on him didn't block out the power of the sun completely. It was weakening him no matter what he said.

"Of course I can drive. I may not have my license yet, but that never stopped me before." Desmond groaned loud enough for me to hear, making me frown. He didn't trust me to be able to drive. Little did he know, I was not exactly a goody two shoes back home in England. I was a bit of a rebel back home, much to my parent's dismay. I had crazy friends who snuck out in the middle of the night with me and would do mischievous things. We even came to be known as "The Mischief Makers" and we were proud of it.

"I was afraid of that. There is no way I am letting you drive this car. Only _I_ am allowed to drive this car." I rolled my eyes when he continued to scratch his arms. They were going to burn off if he kept this up. I did the gutsiest thing I had done since I had arrived. I reached over as quickly as possible and pulled hard on the steering wheel, making the car twist around in circles as it spun out of control...almost. We spun maybe four times before Desmond slammed his foot on the breaks and the car stopped spinning, sitting right in the middle of the road.

I was now breathing hard, the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I jerked away from Desmond, knowing he was not happy with me and my choice of actions. Sure, the car had a chance of crashing, but it was the only way to get him to stop the car. I slowly looked up from the ground, and sure enough, he was glaring at me darker than I had ever seen. I gave a shy smirk, trying to act all innocent. I had a feeling it wasn't working.

"Are you an idiot?!" he snapped at me. I couldn't help but let my smirk grow. I got him mad, something that made him stop the car for a moment. I ignored his comments and chuckled quietly as I opened the passenger car door and stepped out of the car. I closed it behind me before walking around the front of the car, feeling his glare on me the whole time. I opened his door, motioning him to get out of the seat. He growled in a low tone, but to my surprise, got up from his seat on the driver's side and stood next to me. I had to look up a bit too see his face. He was a couple inches taller than I, making me feel real short.

I began to climb into the car, but gasped loudly when I felt pressure on my shoulders as hands grabbed me and slammed me against the side of the car. My eyes had shut on instinct, afraid of what he was going to do to me. Would he slap me? I slowly opened my eyes when I didn't feel any sting of a strike.

"Pull that stunt again, and I will make sure you know the meaning of pain," he threatened as he snarled at me, pushing me against the side of the car with his strong arms. I was getting cocky, and smiled as I looked up to stare at him. He was a bit surprised by my actions when I touched his hand, shading it from the sun. I could tell it was burning him at the moment.

"Well, I don't think you would harm me after last night. You've been protecting me this whole time. And besides, I don't think you're able to hurt me a lot at this moment. Your skin is disintegrating, and if it continues, you will fry. So I would advise you to get in the car and stop threatening me so we can get you to a place where you can hide away until night time. Sound good?" I don't know why I suddenly had a spark of courage in me, but for some reason, his threat didn't sound very convincing. Sure, he was a vampire who could kill me at any time, but something in his voice told me he _wouldn't_ do it.

He stared at me with incredulous eyes. I almost laughed when he hadn't realized that he had dropped his hands to his sides. I slid past him and into the front seat, feeling excitement while I touched the steering wheel, stroking it with anticipation. Desmond climbed into the back, lying down on the seat, using his coat to cover his body from the sun.

I looked in my mirror and asked, "Where to, captain?" I struggled not to laugh when I heard him groan and grumble a few words quietly, probably cursing me.

"Just drive on the main road. You will eventually end up where we want to be." I saluted him, though he had already pulled the jacket over his body, and roared the car to life, feeling the adrenaline rush through me like I was on a lot of caffeine. My hands were practically shaking when I put the car in first gear and put my foot on the gas pedal.

_Thank goodness I learned how to drive a stick shift, _I thought to myself, and then took off and was at 80 MPH within a couple of seconds. I had never gone over 100 MHP. I knew I didn't have the same reflexes as Desmond and really didn't want him to kill me for wrecking his car; his very nice and expensive car. I glanced behind me to see that his head was still covered by his jacket, hiding away from the sun. I gave a sigh of relief and returned my eyes to the road, driving off to—well, I didn't know where, but I trusted Desmond when he said to just keep on the road. I was so happy to be able to drive one of my favorite cars. Hopefully the sun would be on my side and stay over the sky longer than the night.

* * *

After hours of driving, I was getting tired. I tried turning on the radio, but Desmond snapped at me, telling me to turn it off rudely. I was now getting more bored as the day dragged on. The road did nothing but twist and turn. It was nothing like the previous night, having to do _James Bond _stuntmoves as we drove at 100 MPH. There weren't even any animals around, which I found very strange. Not even a bird could be seen in sight.

"What kind of place is this?" I whispered to myself, glancing around the darkening woods as night drew closer. It was very odd to not even come across one living animal...or dead one. My nerves were starting to act up again while I watched the sun slowly set in front of me, but it felt like it was going down faster than usual. The sun hadn't been up for more than six hours, and yet it was already going down, being taken over by night. It didn't make sense. It felt like only seconds before it was finally twilight. I wanted to bite my nails off, I was getting so nervous.

I nervously said, "Uh, Desmond?" I now wanted him to drive, in case something decided to pop out of nowhere. I knew that if we were suddenly attacked, I would lose it. I heard no reply and glanced to the back seat to see that his jacket was still covering him. I pulled off to the side of the road and stopped the car so that I could reach back to wake him up.

"Desmond?" I repeated as I reached for his jacket. I shook him a little. I screamed when his hand jolted up and caught my arm, grabbing it painfully. He shot up from the sound of my scream, his eyes dark as they quickly search around the car, his teeth revealed, and his face contorted with rage. I cringed, his hold on me feeling like needles and pins. His hands were freezing cold again.

He looked to me finally, his eyes focusing on what was happening, looking down at how his hand was holding mine and immediately let go as soon as he realized what he was doing. He pulled back his hand and stared at it, as though ashamed of his reaction to my touch.

"Sorry," he muttered in low tone. I pulled back my arm and rubbed it, more shock than pain running through me than anything. "I think you should sit in the back now." I stared at him with a lost look, but he refused to look at me. I became even more puzzled when he got out of the car and walked to the other side of the car, as though trying to keep as much distance from me as he could. I slowly hopped out of the car and climbed into the back, closing the door behind me. I waited for him to climb into the driver's side.

He closed his eyes from the outside of the car, leaning against the side while he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was finally getting his bearings. After moments of taking deep breaths, he opened his eyes and walked around to the driver's side, climbing in and closing the door behind him. He sighed loudly before he started the car.

I looked to his hands and noticed that the burn marks that he had received earlier were now gone. The sun was finally down. It made me nervous to no end. It wasn't only the sun; it was the way Desmond was acting.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice unwavering. He put the car in first gear and drove off faster than I ever had.

He nodded his head. "Yeah...just a little stressed," he replied in such a low tone that I could barely hear what he had said. I glanced beside me. His coat was lying beside me. My fingers inched toward it. I had the urge to see how it smelled. I glanced to the front to see that his eyes were settled on the road and slowly pick up the jacket and put it around me. His scent wisped into my senses, making me shiver. His jacket smelled so calm, it was hard to describe it any other way. It was almost like the scent of a pure, cool gust of wind.

"Why do I need to sit in the back seat?" I inquired as the thought popped into my mind. Usually he would force me to sit in the front seat, now he was forcing me to the back. He looked into the rear view mirror, looking straight at me with plain eyes. It was the exact same look when I had first met him. He looked away and returned back to the road.

"It's safer this way. I don't want my threat to come true." I shuddered, the thought of his pain threat now etched into my mind.

I gulped. "Are you...hungry, or something?" I feared to ask. He nodded his head without a pause and took a quick glance in the mirror. I bit my lower lip, thinking of how much pain it would be to be bitten by a vampire. I mean _really _bitten by a vampire. When Lucas, Desmond's brother, had bitten me, he had barely gotten his fangs in me. And even then, it was painful. I swallowed hard. I tried to ignore the thought of being bitten. I looked out the window, night finally taking its toll. I now _hated_ the dark. After last night, I never wanted it to be night time again.

By the next time I looked from the window, the car was stopping. We had arrived to our destination. Desmond didn't take his time getting out of the car and walked toward the house. I got out of the car as well and looked over the house. It was nothing special. It was just a normal 2 story house. There were a couple of beat up cars sitting out on the front lawn; a typical mechanic's yard.

I quickly closed the door and ran to catch up to Desmond as he walked up the steps, to the front door. I stayed only a couple inches away from him as, once again, I didn't want to push him over the edge and end up dead. He put one of his hands in his pocket and reached with the other to knock on the door.

"Whose house is this?" I asked in a low voice. I could hear footsteps coming from inside the house, making their way to the door.

"It belongs to a couple of my old friends. Don't worry, they won't munch on you like I will," he joked, sending me a smirk. I glowered at him. I didn't find it funny. It only scared me more. The door opened, and to my surprise, a normal looking girl opened the door. Her hair was the color of fire, but her face held color. She smiled when her eyes landed on Desmond.

"Desmond, this is a pleasant surprise. I just got a call from your brother. He tells me you're out saving a human girl. That's not like you, Desmond," the girl said as she sent him a twisted smirk that I didn't like. I couldn't help but glare at her. "And this must be the girl," she said, finally looking to me, but with amusement. I drew closer to Desmond. Her eyes told me what kind of person she was. She wanted to kill me, I could tell that much.

I introduced myself despite my distaste for her. "Grace," I murmured in a low tone because I really didn't feel comfortable.

She gave me a fake smile as she opened the door wider. "Well, come on in. You both look white as ghosts," she joked. In my opinion, she was already annoying. She was one of those fake happy-go-lucky girls. I felt her eyes burn through my skin while I walked next to Desmond as we entered the house. My eyebrow rose when I saw a male standing at the top of the stairs, his smile warmer than the girl's.

"Desmond, it's good to see you. Ah, and I see you've brought a friend. Who, may I inquire, is this? It's not like you to hang around your dinner." Why did I get the feeling I was getting myself into a dangerous situation? Desmond walked up the stairs, showing his fangs in a smile, taking his hand from his pocket to shake the young man's hand. He was just as normal as the girl. His hair was a bit long, but it was in that cute surfer-boy way. They weren't palely white or anything. Not like Desmond and the rest of his family.

"It's good to see you, too. This is Grace. Grace, these are my friends, Ivan and Dawn." Figured they both had normal names. I reached out my hand to shake Ivan's hand. I sighed when it wasn't cold like Desmond's or Cain's. Ivan led us into the living room on the second floor, a comfy couch waiting for us. I didn't hesitate to sit on it, tired from sitting in a car all day. Desmond took a seat next to me, but made sure to keep a large space between us. Ivan and Dawn each grabbed one of the single chairs.

"So, tell me what you've done this time to get yourself into trouble," Ivan began, leaning back in his chair. I could feel the stress Desmond was feeling. He wanted to get away...but was it from _me?_ My question was answered when he leaned away from me a bit. I almost frowned, knowing it was me who was causing him to be so tense and stressed looking.

"Grace here seems to be sought after by the worst of guys. I think you can guess whom I speak of when I say you can't get much eviler." Ivan chuckled while Dawn smirked. I couldn't tell, but I was sure that she was happy that I was wanted by the worst of people.

Ivan said, "Ah, Cain. Yes, that fellow is definitely as bad to the bone as you can get." Ivan only needed one guess to know who Desmond was talking about. Was Cain really that well known? Well, then again, he was the Devil's son, so probably.

"Not only is _he _after her, but I guess Lucifer wants her, too." Desmond sounded upset, and when I saw Dawn's smirk turn into a frown, I held back a smile. Ivan's eyes went wide for a moment. What was so surprising about the Devil wanting me?

"_And_ Lucifer? What's so special about you, Grace? Are you a part werewolf and vampire, or something?"

My face cringed from Ivan's question. "No, I don't think so. I'm just a normal human being," I said with a shrug. All of them laughed after my answer. I frowned at this. Why were they laughing?

Dawn said while still laughing a bit, "Honey, I think you're anything but normal if the Devil and his son want you. You have something they want." I struggled not to glare at her, and succeeded somehow. Desmond twitched from beside me when I move a little closer to him. The way Dawn was looking at me, like I was just some pathetic little thing, made me uncomfortable.

Ivan didn't fail to notice how Desmond was acting and smirked a bit. "Desmond, you look a little famished. Why don't you do Grace a favor and go get something to eat." It was said as a question and a demand. Before I was able to glance to Desmond, he rose up from the chair and disappeared within a blink of an eye. I blinked a few times; surprised that he had disappeared into thin air.

"So, Grace—what is your relationship with Desmond? It's not very often he hangs with humans." I turned my attention to Dawn as she spoke to me. I gave her a plain look for a moment, not sure where she was going with this. I had had a feeling as soon as Desmond left there would be personal questions asked.

"Um...I'm not really sure. I mean, we just met yesterday...at least it felt like just yesterday. He's just kind of protecting me for the moment, I guess." I was having a hard time not sounding like a total clueless person. Both Ivan and Dawn glanced to each other with raised eyebrows. They were obviously lost about something. I cleared my throat a bit when they continued to stare at each other, as though they were having a private conversation with their eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask...what are you guys?" I asked, dying to know. They both turn their attention to me, and they smiled. They weren't evil, merely amused. They turned back to one another, shared a short glance, and nodded together as if it were some routine. They both looked back to me at the same time with their lips twitching, looking like they were trying to hold back their laughs.

Ivan spoke first. "We were wondering if you were going to ask that question. Well, since you asked. We are fallen angels," he said proudly as he sat up. Dawn did the same, standing next to him as the both stood straight, taking superhero stances. I lifted my eyebrow, curious as to what they were doing. I jumped about a foot in the air when wings sprung out of their backs. My jaw dropped, staring in complete shock. Their wings were pure white and huge, about seven feet wide. I was sure I was dreaming. I never thought I would live the day when I saw fallen angels.

I stuttered in pure amazement. "F-fallen angels?" They both continued to smirk while they stood in all their glory. "Does that mean you both are...dead?" I had always wondered if you had to die to become an angel, or if you were born one.

Ivan shook his head a little, putting his wings away and sat on the couch next to me. "Well, technically we were never alive. But if you would like to put it that way, yes. We cannot die unless we become human."

My eyebrows furrowed, remembering a similar situation when I watched the movie _Dogma_ and how the fallen angels died in that movie. "And you become human by losing your wings?" Ivan smiled at me. Dawn put away her wings and sat in one of the other chairs.

"You are a smart girl," he complimented me. I gave him a shy smirk of thanks. Desmond appeared at that point beside the couch, making me gasp and almost scream from surprise. I was _not_ going to get used to all these super human powers all these creatures had. I stared at him for a moment, spotting something red on the side of his mouth. I shivered and I turned my eyes away, knowing what it was. Ivan pointed to the spot on his own face, telling Desmond to wipe off the excess blood on his face. He did so quickly, not wanting to scare me, which he already had.

Dawn stood up. "I presume you both will be staying here tonight," she said, a lusty look in her eyes as she roamed over Desmond's body, and then turned them to me with smile on her face. I glared at her, trying my best not to act jealous.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind." Desmond was either trying to make me jealous, or being naïve. Either way, it was pissing me off. Dawn's smile widened and went to stand next to him, her eyes looking at me all the while.

Ivan replied, "No, not at all. But we don't have enough rooms for you both to sleep separately. We weren't expecting company."

Dawn chirped in and said, "Ivan, you can sleep out on the couch for the night, right?" Ivan's eyebrows furrowed, a lost look crossing his features. Dawn gave him a look and a twitch of her eyebrow, and I think she sent a glance to me, and then back to him. He nodded his head, a small smirk twitching the sides of his mouth. He shook his head a little as he grabbed a pillow, already getting ready for bed.

"Grace can sleep in Ivan's room." Dawn's voice was changing into a lower tone. I bit my lip, feeling anger beginning to boil inside of me. Desmond looked down at her for a moment, and I think he was giving the same lost look as Ivan had. He took a few glances back and forth between Dawn and me. He did it a few more times before keeping his eyes on me. By this time her hands had found his arm, caressing him.

His eyes stayed on me as he said, "I'll stay with her in Ivan's room. I'm not leaving her alone. It would be too risky otherwise." I was almost bouncing with joy on the inside. As long as he wasn't staying with Dawn, I was okay. Dawn sent me a look that told me I better watch my back. It was times like these where I wished I had Desmond's gun so I could shoot off her pretty little wings.

I followed Desmond down the short hall and reached what I assumed was Ivan's room. He opened the door for me, letting me walk into the room before he did. I took a glance around the room and smiled. It was a normal size room, just like mine back home. I sighed at the sight of the bed. It looked so comfy. I immediately walked over to the bed and laid down on it. I closed my eyes and I sighed loudly, feeling my tired eyes give in. I opened one when I heard Desmond walk over to the chair in the corner and take a seat.

I sat up on my elbow and I stared at him. "Aren't you going to sleep?" I was a little upset that he was keeping his distance from me, even though he had just eaten.

He shook his head. "No, I've already slept today. You go ahead and get some sleep. Plus, I think Dawn has a grudge against you and might try to do something to you while you sleep. I'll make sure she doesn't do anything," he said, ending with a smirk.

I sighed, and my eyes dropped to the sheets. "You noticed, too?" I asked in a bit of a pouting voice.

He smirked, holding back a chuckle. "It's kind of hard not to. She is envious of you because I've never hung around one girl for very long. I'm usually a one-night stand kind of guy." I rolled my eyes and plopped back down on the bed. He laughed at my exasperated reaction.

"Figures," I muttered, bringing the sheets closer to me.

Little did we know…there was someone else other than the four of us in the house.


	9. Betrayal

**Chapter 9**

Betrayal

The sound of the door opening and closing awoke me from my short sleep. I sat up; my eyes clouded from the salt in my eyes as I grabbed the sheets to the bed and brought them closer to me, glancing around the room. I looked to the chair and noticed that Desmond was no longer sitting in it. I sighed loudly. I suddenly felt very vulnerable. When he was around I found a sense of security.

I quietly slid off the bed and felt my feet touch the carpeted floor. I lurked like a mouse over to the door, hearing the sound of voices on the other side of the door. I listened carefully, pressing my ear against the door, still holding the sheets to my body. I felt cold, like something ominous was hanging over me.

"What is taking you so long?" A male voice I had never heard before scolded Desmond. I heard a silent grunt emit from Desmond's throat. He obviously didn't like being scolded in such a way.

"Relax. I've got everything under control," he retorted almost immediately. I tried not to gasp and make a sound when I heard a couple of growls come from the other side of the door. They were standing right on the other side of the door.

"You better hope you do. If anything happens to the girl, it's a straight way ticket to Hell for you. You know Lucifer hates it when his son doesn't get his way." The other male voice was darker, but just like the rest of them, attractive. I heard a loud sigh, and knew that it is Desmond who had emitted it. I pressed my finger tips to the door, trying to hear more of what was going on.

"Yes, I know. This is girl is more troublesome than I first thought." Desmond ended with a growl. I could feel the other male smirk from the other side of the door. I tensed when he chuckled darkly.

"Just as I thought; this girl is really getting to you. Desmond, I'll tell you this now as a warning; do not get in the way of Cain's wanted prize. You and I both know there is something very special about the girl. Do your job and find out what her power is before you take her to Cain." I jumped away from the door, covering a hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming. I shook my head, not believing the words I had just heard. Was Desmond really on Cain's side? Was he working for Lucifer all this time? It was at this point that the door was jolted open.

I gasped at the sight of the dark glare from the cute young man as he held the door open. He had a different cuteness to him than the rest of the boys I had met in this world. No, he was not drop-dead gorgeous like Desmond and his family. He was cute, but nothing more. He dressed in a tight black shirt, his hair brown, and his skin just as pale as Desmond's. His dark brown eyes held such anger and power that I took a step back from him. His glare was almost as dark as Desmond's when he got mad, but he didn't have that gorgeous and deadly effect Desmond held.

"How long have you been listening?" he growled, taking a step toward me. I stared in horror and took a step back on reflex, terrified from the look in his eyes. I covered my hand over my mouth again to keep in a scream when his eyes flashed from brown to crimson. Dear god, his eyes were red and shinning.

"I-I-" I couldn't speak. Fear was rushing through me, and I could do nothing but stare in terror. Desmond appeared in front of me, blocking my sight from the frightening and angry vampire, and I felt relief beyond words. I knew the young man was a vampire from the similar traits he and Desmond had. He growled at Desmond's defensive gesture, revealing his fangs in a snarl. I gasped and grabbed the back of Desmond's shirt in fright.

"Leave her alone, Bryce. Go back to Cain and leave the rest to me. Do not interfere with my work." Desmond's voice was low, angered, and yet, I could still sense his dismay. Bryce growled. He shut the door behind him, locking us in the room with him. He had shut the door before Dawn and Ivan had seen him. I could hear them talking out in the hall, asking from the other side of the door if everything was all right. I wanted to scream _No! Everything is not all right!_ Bryce looked around Desmond and to my hiding form that was clutching to the back of his black dress jacket. He smirked, revealing his bright fangs, and winked at me before disappearing into thin air.

The door smashed open. Dawn and Ivan stood in the doorway with cautious eyes, glancing around the room for the attacker.

Dawn asked, "What just happened?" I released my hold on Desmond and now back away from him, pulling the sheet closer around me. I was not scared of Bryce anymore, but the creature that stood in front of me. He turned around to stare at me. I shook my head slightly with frightful eyes, tears beginning to form in my eyes.

"You monster..." I whispered in disgust as I began to back away from him. His eyes seemed unchanging, as though not caring of my insult.

He turned with his hands in his pockets. "Dawn, Ivan, would you please leave us," he said with his back to them. They glanced to one another with lost expressions, but left and closed the door behind them. I wanted to yell for them to come back, but I heard their footsteps down the hall and fade. Desmond took a step toward me, and I followed it by taking one back.

"Stay away from me!" I practically screamed, feeling more hurt than I had in almost 17 years. I was starting to feel something in my chest. It felt like my heart was breaking in half as he stared at me as though I were a low-life. There was nothing kind in his eyes. How had he changed so quickly? Where was the kind Desmond who had saved me many times these past few days?

"You lied to me...you lied. Why?" I screeched, tears slowly beginning to pour from my hurt eyes. Desmond's eyes finally showed some kind of emotion, but not the kind I was hoping for. He rolled his eyes.

"You really think I would have saved a little girl like yourself for no reason at all? Sorry Grace, but we vampires have no time for sympathizing humans. Especially vampires like me." His voice was dark and harsh; it made more tears stream down my face.

"Why? Have you been working for Cain this whole time? And why did you go through all that trouble to keep me safe?" My voice had now lowered to a whisper. I wanted to escape this reality. I wanted the bad dream to end now.

Desmond grunted loudly at my questions, putting me down for asking such lame questions. "Simple—it's part of the job. Dear Cain wants me to find out why his father senses something special about you. It may be a power, a certain gift, we don't know, but we are going to find out." His voice sounded so far away, unlike the kindness he had shown me in the past couple of days. It amazed me how someone so kind could turn on you, as though you were nothing to them from the beginning.

"Then why were you so worried when all of those creatures were after us?" I was hoping to catch him in a corner, something that would tell me he did feel some kind of care for me. A wicked smile, one even eviler than Cain's, slipped onto his beautiful face, revealing his fangs. I was now resting my back against the wall, just to make sure I didn't fall down from going into shock. I was sure I was going to break down at any moment. He knew how to break people very well.

"Those _creatures_ were minions who were working for me. It was all part of the plan, my dear. I thought that fear would trigger something in you, but I guess that was the wrong approach, since you are still just as weak and useless as before." This was not happening. It couldn't be happening. My head fell a bit, a sense of a strong bond breaking into shattered pieces. It was one of those inevitable moments where I could do nothing but react in a girlish way.

I could feel his malicious smile on my figure as my head hung in defeat, tears continuing to slide down my cheeks. I didn't struggle when his fingers slid under my chin, lifting my head up to stare at him. A shiver ran down my spine when my eyes landed on his. The look in his eyes was so dark and cruel, it was almost as though I whole new character had taken over his body.

"Now, we are going to leave and have a wonderful night together, since it might be your last with me. We want to make it memorable, don't we?" The dark sarcasm in his voice made my face cringe and turn into a glare. I was beginning to feel the effects of his cruel treatment. I jolted my head out of his hands, glaring at him with more hate than I had shown anyone. He smirked, his eyes showing excitement to my reaction. Why did I have to fall for the bad guy this time? The one time I finally found my Prince Charming, he turns out to be worse than the devil.

"I already like this reaction from you; it's a turn on. Disobedient woman have always been my favorite. It's fun to watch them crumble. Their strong will is so easily shattered," he said with unkind eyes unlike any I had ever seen. They were full of cruel intentions. I spat in his face, something that surprised me more than him. He growled, wiping away the saliva from his face. His smirk had disappeared as soon as I had shown any movement.

"I think you will learn to respect me, Grace. I am not such a nice guy."

"No kidding," I retorted with venom. I gasped, feeling a stinging sensation run across my whole face side, my head turning to the side. He had slapped me...hard. I could already feel a bruise begin to form on my cheek.

"I repeat; you _will _learn to respect me, or face the consequences. In the end, Grace, you will have no choice to become an obedient bride," he growled. It took me a second to register what he had spoken. I slowly lifted my aching head to turn back to him, an incredulous look showing in my eyes. It quickly faded when I saw the wicked smirk on his face. Instead, I glared as darkly as I could.

"I refuse to be your bride. You'll have to kill me first." I snarled with gritted teeth. I lost my bearing when Desmond began to laugh hysterically. I shivered from his dark laugh. Everything he now did I found dark. I could now feel the evil aura around him, illuminating off him like steam. He quieted down quickly before staring at me with pure amusement.

"Oh, Grace, it's so nice to know that you consider me a person who has desire for you. But even though I enjoy watching your reaction to my words, I have to tell you that I am not your wanted lover. I believe Cain wants you as his own, not I. I'm not much for powerless girls who act like a damsel in distress. I favor girls who have more womanly attributes. Besides, I only use humans for my desires and food, not for loving." Every word he spoke was stabbing me. I could feel myself become numb.

Is this what it felt like when you were betrayed? I lost my will to stand and began to slip down the wall. I groaned when I felt Desmond catch me from falling to the floor, lifting me up and bringing me close to his body.

"I will admit that you have one fantastic body. Too bad I can't try it out once before I give it away. Oh well, let's go," he said with a shrug and a sigh. He really didn't sound that upset about it. I gave up fighting, wishing to just die. I was waiting for some creature to come and kill me. My heart had been ripped out, so death could come at any time. I only hoped that the day came soon. Desmond lifted me into his arms and began to carry me bridal style out into the hall. Ivan and Dawn were waiting patiently out in the living room, sitting across from each other in the single chairs. They both sat up when they saw Desmond carry me into the room.

"Leaving already?" Ivan asked. Desmond nodded his head, his smirk never leaving his lips, as though happy he had accomplished breaking me for the day. Dawn glanced to me. She sent me a quick look of sympathy before turning back to Ivan. I didn't care anymore. These two probably already knew about what Desmond was planning to do to me. I was guessing that they were playing the innocence card even though they knew what kind of person Desmond was. They were part of the game. I stared down and away from Desmond's chest, feeling completely inadequate.

"Yes, I'm afraid I have some unfinished business to take care of. I bid you both adieu and thank you for letting us stay here for a while." I couldn't understand it. He was now acting like the good friend/ guy. I was beginning to believe he had a split personality.

"You're welcome anytime," Ivan said, and then glanced down to me in Desmond's arms. "The both of you are welcome." I didn't stare back. Instead, I stared deadly at the ground. Ivan's smile turned upside down from the look on my face as Desmond nodded his head to his friend, carrying me down the stairs and out the door without a second glance. Before the door closed, I glimpsed back to see Dawn and Ivan staring at me with concerned eyes. The door closed, and the fallen angels were out of sight. I looked up to the sky, and it was still pitch black. It couldn't have been more than one in the morning. It would be a while before the sun would come up.

Desmond carried me to the black sports car, shoving me in the front seat carelessly before slamming the door and walking to the other side to get into the driver's seat. I looked away and stared plainly out the door, feeling his eyes on me while he sat next to me in the car. I thought of running, but knew it would futile. How does a mortal outrun a vampire?

"Grow up, Grace. Your moping is going to get you nowhere," he practically snapped, starting the car, putting it into reverse before screeching the wheels down the path, putting it in drive, and driving off. I didn't know where he was taking me now, nor did I care. I only hoped it was somewhere I didn't have to be around him. Maybe he would take me to Cain. At least Cain hadn't stolen my heart from me.

It was only about 5 minutes later when Desmond broke the silence. I could have cared less if he never spoke to me again at the moment.

"Have you ever felt like you're special in any sort of way? Like you have a special talent?" he asked in a low voice. I knew what he was trying to do. He wanted to find out what my talent was so that he could take me to Cain, get me out of his hair. Too bad I had no idea what this talent was.

I remained silent, not even glancing to him as we drove on. I could feel his eyes switch back and forth between me and the road, waiting for my reply.

"Grace, you heard my question," he pushed me on to answer him. I didn't have answers to give him. He growled in annoyance when I continued to remain silent. The car jerked so suddenly that my head slammed against the window. I grabbed my head in pain; I was sure I was seeing stars.

"Answer me," he said in a more demanding tone.

I finally turned to him and glared with menace. "I don't know! Leave me the hell alone!" I was in so much pain, I couldn't control my voice. I cringed as I held my head in my hands.

Desmond sighed and turned back to the road. "Well, we'll just have to wait until you figure out what your gift is."


	10. On The News

**Chapter 10**

On The News

I felt like I had never been betrayed more. I couldn't believe I had been so naïve. So many clues had been given to me, and yet, I still fell right into the trap. Now I felt more miserable than ever. If the car crashed, I would only hope to die. I was expecting Desmond to do something extreme, but he remained quiet the whole car drive.

After we had left Dawn's and Ivan's, we were back on the road, neither of us speaking. I refused to speak; only glare. Some would call me ignorant and difficult, but I learned in the past two days that if I wanted to get back at someone such as Desmond, you had to remain silent. I could feel hate course through me, stupidity for ever thinking he would be the nice guy. Hell, I found him worse than Cain, the guy who wanted me for unknown reasons...other than to make me his bride. That was one thing I was going to make sure did not happen.

The car was finally stopping, and that was the first time in a while I looked away from the passenger window. We had been driving for only about 2 hours, but it had felt like an eternity. Desmond climbed out of the car and appeared on my side of the car within a blink of an eye, opening my door for me to step out. He held out his hand for me to take it, but I inched away from him in disgust.

"Don't touch me," I warned in a low growl, looking at his hand as though it were possessed. His teeth flash at my reaction. He really did enjoy tormenting me with mock. He was glad I was scared of him, which I was. From my perspective, he could crush me with his hands without trying.

"Don't think so," he replied in an amused tone, grabbing my wrist before I was able to react in any way, and pulled me out of the car and lifted me up, throwing me over his shoulder as though I were a dead carcass. I coughed in pain, my stomach slamming into his shoulder, knocking the wind out of me. He shut the door of his car, carrying me like a dead deer. I beat on his back, struggling for him to release me.

"Let go of me!" I demanded, kicking and punching him, but nothing loosened his grip on me. I looked down at the ground in pain, looking at the asphalt.

What was he going to do with me now?

He carelessly threw me on the ground, and I grunted in pain. It wasn't until then did I realize we were in a yard. I took a quick glance around the area, noticing the streetlights and houses. We were in a neighborhood, one that looked like something from Beverly Hills. I gazed back to Desmond and saw him crossing his arms over his chest while he stared down at me with a raised eyebrow. My face immediately turned into a dark glare. He was obviously amused by something.

"Are you just going to sit there on the grass, or are you going to come inside?" he asked, dropping his arms from his chest and putting his hands in his pockets, walking past me on the ground.

I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest this time. "I think I'll wait out here," I growled, refusing to budge.

He shrugged his shoulders and began to walk toward the house that lay behind us. "Alright, but I hope you don't mind fending for yourself against the creatures of the night." And then, almost on cue, many sounds began to come from different areas. The streetlights seemed to get darker, shadows taking over the area. Half the houses turned their lights out, making the area seem a lot scarier than one would first expect.

A shiver ran down my spine. I was sure I could hear different snarls come from some of the bushes. I almost tripped over myself while I stumbled to get to my feet, panic rushing through me. Desmond was waiting for me at the door, an all knowing smirk on his face. He knew I would choose for staying inside a warm house than out on the misty lawn where I was open to any of this world's creatures.

"I thought you would want to come inside," he said with a smirk, closing the door behind me as I walked into the house. I glanced around the house, staring in awe of how clean the house was. Not one thing was out of place. I slowly paced into the kitchen, my mouth ajar. My stomach grumbled loudly at the sight of the large refrigerator.

"There's food in there, if you want some," Desmond spoke from behind me, holding back a chuckle from seeing a bit of drool coming out of my mouth. I paced my steps to the refrigerator, not wanting to act like a ravenous being at the moment. I reached out and opened the fridge door, my eyes bulging at the sight of all the food. I had been expecting only blood in bottles, but it was mostly normal food. My hands were twitching, wanting to snap out and snatch all of the food. A bit of fruit was not my kind of every day meal.

"It's heaven..." I whispered, grabbing random pieces of food and carrying them over to the large kitchen counter. I ignored Desmond the whole time, hating the feeling of his gaze on me constantly, barely blinking once while I took lots of food out of the fridge. Finally, I grabbed all the food I knew would fill me for the moment, taking a seat in one of the tall chairs at the kitchen counter.

**(Picture of kitchen on profile)**

I did my best not to tense when he walked over from leaning against the wall of the kitchen to take a seat next to me, watching me stuff my face with random pieces of food. I was not going to let his nice attitude fool me. He was, after all, the_ bad_ guy. He sensed my nervousness and lifted an eyebrow. I glanced to him from the corner of my eye, making sure that he wasn't going to attack me.

"You're angry," he commented, watching my eyes narrow at him as I continued to eat. I rolled my eyes while I swallowed the large bite of sandwich in my mouth, turning to face him a bit.

"You think?" I asked with my mouth still full of food. I didn't care if I didn't use my manners; it was Desmond, not my parents. His face turned into a frown when I continued to glare at him, eating my food with annoyance. He was such a jerk. I grabbed a napkin from the counter, wiping a bit of food from the side of my mouth. I was happy I was devouring all of his food.

My eyes narrowed at him when he sighed, shaking his head and rubbing his eyelids, looking suddenly stressed. Good. I stopped eating my food, my stomach suddenly hurting. I knew it; I had eaten too fast. I ignored the pain and pushed away the food, acting like I was just fine. I hated stomach aches.

I growled, "Now what?" I was trying to ignore the pain in my stomach. His eyes remained closed for a moment, looking perfect, just like the first time I met him. He looked a bit on the stressed side, but gorgeous none-the-less. I wanted to slap myself for thinking such things, but even the most handsome model could not pass his attractive looks. It just figured I was stuck with him.

He took a minute to reply, his eyes casted down. "I don't always enjoy being the bad guy. Even though it is amusing, it gets old after a while," he murmured, his eyes refusing to look to me. I lifted my eyebrow a bit, leaning away from him, not understanding his motives. Only hours ago he was telling me he was working for the ass who wanted me, now he was telling me he didn't like to be the bad guy all the time. What the hell was he getting at?

"Cut the crap. What are you trying to prove?" I was a bit surprised by my own words. For some reason, I didn't feel the evil I felt earlier illuminating off him. I was now feeling like I could insult him and be myself without risking my life. His aura was calm, unlike earlier. I tried not to lose my breath when his eyes looked up from the ground, looking straight at me, piercing right to my soul. His eyes weren't dark anymore, but a calm and serene color.

"Trying to prove? Nothing. I'm merely curious as to what you are thinking. The look on your face seems...irritated," he said with a pause. I grunted louder than usual at his comment. Did he really not get it?

"What do you expect? You've kidnapped me, treated me like dirt, and are working for Cain, Lucifer's son. How could I not look irritated right now? I just want to go home." I knew my words meant very little to him, but they were true. I wanted to go home and spend time with my uncle Jeff, the very reason why I had come from England in the first place.

To my surprise, he looked away, as though almost ashamed. My eyes narrowed to him, not sure if this was another one of his acts. So far, he had been good at tricking me into thinking he was a nice guy. I watched him with careful eyes when he stood from his seat, keeping his eyes to the floor.

"The sun is going to rise soon. I'm going to go get some rest," he mumbled in a low voice, almost so much that I couldn't hear what he had said. "And don't leave the house." His eyes rose from the floor, giving me a look that told me he would know if I tried to escape this house. Why would I? I had no place to run. Plus, I had no idea where we were or what lived around this area.

I turned my head away from his gaze, grumbling a few insults under my breath. I turned my eyes back to see that he had disappeared. I swung around to hear footsteps, watching him climb the stairs lazily, almost dragging himself to take each step. He reached one of the rooms on the top floor and slammed the door behind him. I sighed, feeling my heartbeat pulse wildly. Why was I so nervous? The look in his eyes was so sad when I told him I just wanted to go home? What was his reason?

"Whatever," I grumbled, grabbing a coke from the fridge and walking into the living room. I still had no clue whose house this was. For all I knew, it could be Cain's. Not likely, but it didn't seem like something Desmond would own. It was way too light, perfect, and Beverly Hills looking. I had to admit, if I ever wanted a house, it would resemble something like this one. When I walked into the living room, I wasn't surprised to see a widescreen plasma T.V. I took a seat on the large black leather couch that sat in front of it, picking up the remote and pushing the_ 'Power'_ button.

"What the..." I began, a little shocked when the T.V. screen lit up with color, revealing to me what was being played. It was the news, but not from the human world. A girl with red eyes was speaking into the microphone, her black hair hanging over her left eye. I took a sip of my soda, but almost choked on it when I saw what was written in the corner of the T.V. program. _Hell's News _was written in messy red letters.

"They have their own news channel?" I wondered aloud, listening to the girl talk on the news about random events in this strange world. I almost dropped my coke when she spoke the name of the man I wanted to escape.

"'I'm here with Cain, one of the most popular bachelors in this world, soon to be husband. Cain, who is this mystery woman you plan on marrying?'" I almost screamed when the camera moved to face toward Lucifer's son. His looks were the same, the same evil look in his eyes as the other night. I tried to not have a heart attack when he glanced into the camera, looking right at me. I was going to die from panic.

"'Well, I can't tell you yet. That would spoil the secret now, wouldn't it? But, I can tell you this much; she's going to amaze you," he replied in a joking tone. I felt like I was going to be sick. I had a feeling he was referring to me. The girl chuckled in one of those fake and jealous tones. She obviously didn't like the words that came out of his mouth, and neither did I.

"'I'm sure she will. And where is the wife-to-be now?'" I didn't like the questions she was asking. I shivered again when Cain smirked, that same evil smile I saw on Desmond earlier, only darker.

He paused for a moment, looking at the girl for a moment. "'She's with a friend, watching the news,'" he replied smoothly, but with hidden amusement. My jaw dropped open, not believing the words I was hearing. I felt my heart stop as he stared straight at me through the T.V., his blue eyes piercing mine.

"'Hi Honey. I hope you're having a pleasant time. I'll see you soon.'" The changer fell out of my hand. He kissed his finger and blew a kiss to the T.V.

_**He knew I was watching. **_

I snapped myself out of my dumbfounded look, stumbling to pick up the changer. My hands shook while I stumble to push the _'Power'_ button once more, turning off the T.V., making Cain disappear from the screen. My breathing was quick, as though I had been suffocating. How could this be? How could he possibly know I was watching him? It wasn't logical. Then again, he was the son of Lucifer, so maybe he did have that kind of power.

I tried to stand to my feet multiple times, but each time my knees buckled under me. I was in pure shock. The powers of this world were too extreme for me to begin to understand. My wide eyes stared at the television, afraid he was going to step out of it and take me. I swallowed the lump in my throat, climbing onto the couch, lying down and bringing my knees to my chest, staring at the T.V., afraid he was going to appear on it once more.

"It's just T.V., nothing more," I began to chant, trying to convince myself that I was just paranoid. I closed my eyes, wanting the thought to disappear. I relaxed a little, feeling safer staring at my closed eyelids. Darkness was helping right now. I sighed, letting my body loosen up, my exhaustion taking effect on my body, letting me fall to sleep.

The feeling of something running across my cheek awoke me from my sleep. I sighed, not wanting to open my eyes, loving the soft feeling. It sent strange sensations through my body, telling me to move closer to the touch. I moaned a bit, trying to open my eyes. I slightly opened my eyes, waking myself from my nice nap. "Ah!" I screeched, opening my eyes to see light brown eyes staring at me less than an inch away from my face. I immediately jumped away from him, gasping in surprise. Desmond smirked at me.

"Don't scare me like that," I breathed out; holding a hand over my chest, making sure my heart was still beating. His teeth flashed at me in a kind smile. He was acting strange again. His eyes remained on me, scrutinizing my every move.

"Apologies—I couldn't help myself," he said, ending in a murmur.

My eyebrow lifted at him in skepticism. "You couldn't help yourself from touching me?" I growled, a sudden frown falling over my features.

He gave an innocent nod with one of his flashy smiles. "Yeah, something like that. Your skin is so warm and smooth; I couldn't help myself," he replied smoothly. I kept my hand over my heart, feeling it beat faster at his words. I was afraid that my face was turning red from embarrassment. Why on earth could he not hold in the impulse to touch me?

I swallowed hard, letting some nervousness slide down my throat. I tried to act relaxed and sat upright on the couch, leaning my back against the black leather. I attempted not to tense when he stood from his position on the floor to sit next to me on the couch. He grabbed the remote, acting as though he hadn't just said embarrassing words to me, and turned on the television. To my luck, the news wasn't on anymore.

Desmond coughed from beside me when the movie playing on the screen was _Cruel Intentions_, a movie about two lovers wanting to destroy a girl's life, but the boy ends up falling for the girl he had originally set out to destroy. His finger immediately moved to change the channel, his eyes glancing to me from his peripherals. I crossed my arms over my chest, pretending I hadn't noticed the glance he had sent me, or his sudden tenseness. I slapped his arm when I saw a movie flicker on the screen, one that I loved.

"Wait! Go back!" I demanded, still hitting his shoulder in complaint. He groaned and pushed the back button to the channel. I smiled when I saw that the movie had just started. I noticed the raised eyebrow Desmond was giving me. "I haven't seen this movie in so long. I love it!" I said with enthusiasm.

He groaned a bit, putting a hand to his forehead, rubbing it slightly. "You've got to be kidding me. This is such a sappy movie," he complained. I ignored him, rolling my eyes while crossing my legs on the couch. "I can't believe I'm actually watching this movie," he grumbled under his breath, just enough so that I could hear him whine. The movie was one of my favorite romance movies. _Before Sunset_ was a movie that gave you goose bumps after it finished. It may be a romance movie, but it wasn't too sappy.

As soon as the movie ended, I sighed, feeling the movie take effect on me, just like every other time. Desmond was slouching toward me on the couch, looking more bored than ever, but I could see in his eyes that he had enjoyed the movie. Why his attitude was so different from the day before, I didn't know.

"It was bearable," he mumbled, lifting his eyes to meet mine. I didn't understand why he suddenly changed from the monster he was earlier, but I liked this side of him. I couldn't help but smirk at his comment, knowing better that he liked the movie almost as much as I had. It was a sweet movie. He lifted his hand to change the channel, not wanting me to make him watch another romance movie.

"Grace..." he began, not taking his eyes away from the T.V. screen. I looked to him, signifying to him that he had my attention. He paused for a moment, sighing loudly, as though stressing over something all of a sudden. I heard him swallow loudly. "I've got some bad news that I think you should know about, even though Cain specifically asked me not to tell you." I suddenly became tense, not liking his words one bit. What bad news could there be? I remained silent, making sure not to miss one syllable. He sat up straight on the couch beside me, his eyes moving from the television to me.

"What bad news?" I pushed, impatient to find out this worse news. All of this was bad news to me. Everything about this world, this situation, was bad news. My eyes turned to the television when I heard the sound of the news once more, but instead of saying _Hell's News_ in the corner, it had a "normal" news name. I stared in confusion while Desmond kept his eyes to the T.V., gesturing for me to watch. I watched a blonde woman sigh as she held the microphone in front of her.

"'It's a worst nightmare for any parents to lose a child. It's no different for an Uncle. Jeff Steven's niece, Grace Evans, died earlier today for unknown reasons.'" My heart stopped. I was literally speechless, not believing the words coming from the woman's mouth. Jeff showed up on the screen, his eyes red from crying, and I felt my eyes grow hot from the sad look on his face. Oh god, what had happened? I watched as tears began to fall down my uncle's face, and I felt mine begin to fall as well.

"'I don't know what happened. One minute she was walking, the next she was on the floor, lifeless.'" I wanted to run to the screen and yell out to my Uncle, hoping that he would hear me. My mind went blank at the sight of my crying parents. More tears flowed from my eyes, the sight of my parents the most wonderful thing, and yet, the saddest. I had never seen them look so upset. I put a hand over my mouth, trying to prevent myself from hyperventilating. I let the tears fall, hating the sound of my parents speaking in raspy voices.

My mother choked, "She was a good girl." I let out a cry at the sad sight of my mother. She couldn't get out more than that and turned to my father, crying into his shoulder as he embraced her. I wanted to run over to the screen when it went back to the blonde woman, wanting to see my parents again.

"'Officials are still trying to figure out the tragedy of this normal teenage girl. Our condolences go out to her family. This is Laura Davidson, reporting from Astoria, Oregon.'" At that point, Desmond turned off the television, putting the remote on the coffee table in front of us. I sat there, stunned. I let the tears fall down my face, not caring if I looked weak to Desmond. He did nothing but watch me cry for five minutes, not knowing what to do. I covered my hands over my face and sobbed.

"H-how did this happen?" I choked out, gasping through tears and cries.

"The clone we used to take your place failed. It can only live in an alien world for a certain period of time."

I choked out another cry, trying to gather my words. "But now my parents think I'm dead...when I'm not." My voice didn't stay strong through my sentence and ended in a whisper.

He sighed loudly, closing his eyes for a moment. "That was the plan," he replied, almost regretfully.


	11. The Deal

Thank you so much for waiting! You guys are awesome supporters!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

The Deal

I sat there on the black leather couch for what felt like hours, crying into my hands, hiding away my tear stained face. Desmond sat next to me, quietly watching me sob my eyes out after what he had showed me on the news. His words after the news had only made me feel more depressed. Now that the clone of me in my world was dead, my parents thought I was dead. It would now be impossible for me to go home. My parents would freak if their dead daughter suddenly showed up on their doorstep, looking alive.

**There was no going back now. **

I let out another cry, and as much as I tried to stop myself from letting out sobs, I couldn't stop. I finally pulled my hands away from eyes, suddenly feeling dizzy. My eyes widened in panic, my hands covering my mouth. Desmond seemed to catch on quickly and picked me within a blink of an eye and rushed me to the bathroom. He sat me in front of the toilet, letting me release my acidic contents just in time. He rubbed my back and kept my hair out of my mess as I held my head over the toilet, trying to make myself feel better.

I flushed the toilet a couple more times, making sure there was nothing left in my stomach to divest. After moments of hanging over the toilet, I fell to the floor, holding onto the toilet seat. I had no more contents to release. I heard the water run before a cup was pushed in front of my face.

"Here," Desmond muttered, holding the cup for me to take. I shook my head wearily, feeling sick again just thinking about drinking or eating anything. "It will make you feel better—trust me," he spoke in one of the kindest voices I had heard from anyone. It was hopeful and caring. I stared at the cup for another moment before lifting my shaking hands to grab the cup. I stared down into the cup of water, the clearness reminding me of all the tears I had shed for the past couple of hours. I closed my eyes, slowly sipping the water on the large bathroom floor. Desmond bent down next to me, looking over my face carefully.

"Thank you," I murmured, my eyes refusing to look to his. He nodded his head and sat down next to me on the floor, leaning against the wall. I quietly sipped the water, finding the cup extremely interesting all of a sudden. I didn't like these kinds of tense silences, so I couldn't help but speak up.

"Why are you doing this?" My voice cracked as I asked the question. Desmond seemed to tense at my question, his eyes on me with uncertainty. They stayed on me for a moment before they averted back to the tiling on the bathroom floor.

"What do you mean?" he asked in a naïve voice. My eyes stayed on the cup in my hands, watching the ripples on the water. I wanted to cry some more, but I couldn't conjure up any more tears.

"Why are you trying to make me feel better? For some reason, I don't think it's because you're obligated to." By his reaction, I knew I had hit a nerve. His body went tense, but as soon as my eyes looked up to his, he seemed to relax, his eyes softening a bit, as though I had just said something sweet and kind. He was the first one to turn his eyes away this time. I watched as he looked over the tiled floor.

He sighed before he began to speak. "I don't remember my parents. Seeing yours crying on the television makes me wonder if my parents ever cried or cared like yours. Whenever I think of what my parents might be like, I think I would vision them to be something like yours."

"Your real parents weren't the ones I saw at your house? But I thought they were your family," I said in confusion.

He shook his head. "They are my adopted parents. Selene is their true daughter, but the rest of us were brought into the family many years after they had been a blood-related family." He paused for a moment, looking at the wall across him with a content look on his face. "They took me in when I had just turned into a vampire, not caring how crazed I was. They taught me everything I knew, helped me through it all." I didn't quite understand where he was going with this, but I listened anyways, a bit interested about who he was. There was an old saying about something like this; Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. But for some reason, he didn't feel like the enemy right now.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can relate to you in a way. I didn't choose to be who I am." As he spoke these words, I was sipping some water, but choke on it as I tried to speak at the same time as drinking. I coughed a bit, but choked out a surprised, "What?" He chuckled quietly at my reaction of choking on water, but explained.

"I was not always a vampire. At some time, though I hardly remember, I was human and alive. I don't think it will be a surprise to you to know that Cain was the one to change me. Otherwise, I don't think I would be his right hand man."

I blinked a few times, taking in all the information slowly. "Actually, I am a bit surprised. I didn't know Cain was a vampire." I shuddered, thinking of how easily he could have stuck his fangs in me. My eyes became lost when Desmond shook his head a little.

"Well, he's not a vampire. He has the power to create or change a human into any deadly creature, just like his father. You see, he could have changed me into a werewolf or demon—if he wanted to," he replied.

I shook my head slightly, not liking this bit of information one bit. It scared me. "Is he really that powerful?" I whispered, my voice quivering a bit as I spoke.

He nodded his head. "Yes, he is. Consider who his father is, and I think you should understand why he's so powerful. I mean, Lucifer _is_ the most feared being in this world. Cain is the second."

I sighed loudly, glancing to him from the side. "And let me guess—you're the third."

He smirked at my comment and shrugged his shoulders with a cocky smirk. "More or less," he said innocently as he could be. I shook my head, not believing I was sitting on the floor with such a feared being...er, vampire. It just figured that I was stuck with him. I didn't understand how he was going to figure out my 'special' power; that is if I even had one. Cain sounded like he was sure of himself, but for some reason, I couldn't help but shake my head mentally. The devil's son believed his father because of some feeling? How lame was that?

"By the way—how old are you?" I asked with a quick glance. He seemed so young; no more than 19. He smirked at my question, capturing mine for a moment. I tried not to gasp as the color of his eyes were so captivating; it was almost impossible not to get lost in them. I prayed mentally that I wasn't blushing, but from the chuckle he made, I was pretty red.

"I had a feeling you were going to ask that question. How about we make a deal?" he proposed. I lifted an eyebrow at him, knowing how cleaver he could be. He was probably going to trick me some way. I knew this could only get me into more trouble and mayhem, but I considered it.

"What kind of deal?" I hesitated to ask, feeling Desmond's wide smirk on me, his eyes bright with something amusing. He was probably thinking of something evil in his mind. I turned my eyes back to him and immediately regretted it. His eyes were staring right at me, his fangs shining with his smile wide. I watched as he jumped to his feet with a blink of an eye. I stared with a lost look as he bent down and held out his hand to me. I looked at it as though it were some strange beast that was waiting to bite my hand off if I touched it.

"Come. I'll tell you how old I am after I explain things. I need you for something." He failed to explain why he needed me, so automatically I was a bit apprehensive about this whole deal. I reluctantly took his hand. He effortlessly lifted me to my feet and immediately began to drag me out the bathroom by my hand. He stopped dragging me, obviously forgetting I was a human—not a strange creature. He turned to me, and his eyes held excitement, clearly having fun thinking about the deal.

He released my hand and let me walk on my own to the front door. Like a gentleman, he opened the door for me and let me walk out first. I blinked, not getting how it was still dark outside, even after hours of it being nighttime. I heard the door close as he walked out of the two story house and over to me, his hands in his pockets. I stared over the misty looking neighborhood, the lights casting shadows. I shivered when it reminded me of a scene from a horror movie.

"Now, I'll explain the deal. See that house across the street?" he asked, pointing to possibly the darkest house on the street. I swallowed hard, nodding my head slowly with wide eyes. I already didn't like this deal.

He smirked, noticing my sudden worried form. "I need you to get something from inside the house that only you can get," he said, straightening himself again and putting his hand back in his pocket.

"Excuse me?" I asked with a sudden slump of my shoulders. Nope. There was absolutely no way I was going through with this deal. I tensed and felt my breath get caught as Desmond's arm falls over my shoulders in a friendly approach.

"Oh, come on, Grace. I thought you wanted so dearly to find out my age. Plus, this is a way to prove to me you've got courage and…talent." I didn't like the way he ended that small explanation. I shook my head, bringing my fingers to the bridge of my nose in annoyance. He kept his arm around my shoulders, leaning on me, waiting for my reply. I let out a loud sigh before I mumbled a few incoherent insults, but I knew his keen ears would hear them.

"Okay—what is it that I must absolutely get for your convenience?" I asked with dark sarcasm, not liking this idea one bit, but was not about to let a deal like finding out his age slip away so easily. Plus, I was not going to be seen as a wuss. This was what always got me in trouble. I could do the evil thing and tease him until I got his age, but for some reason, I had a feeling he was good at holding himself back and composed when it came to teasing. I could feel him smile down at me with pure delight and excitement.

"Excellent. Now, all you have to do is break into the house and grab a certain jewel."

"And why am I stealing this jewel?" I grumbled, wanting to know his motives for having me break into a house. "And why am I the one doing this? You could get it a lot easier and faster than I ever could." I was getting to be a bit of a smartass. I was not an idiot when it came to people like Desmond. There was evil intent hidden behind his eyes, but I let it slide, knowing that he really was a bad guy just waiting for me to screw up. He chuckled a bit when I sent him a dark glare while crossing my arms over my chest. My frown fell even further when he lifted his pointer finger and rocked it from side to side while shaking his head.

"Tsk, tsk, Gracie. That was not part of the deal. I'll give you the answers to your questions when you get back. All you have to know is that you need to break into that house to get a red ruby to get answers. You will see it on a stand, on the first floor. It shines in the dark, so it should be easy enough to find it." I wasn't sure, but he closed his eyes, probably hiding the hilarity in his eyes. I sighed, shaking my head for the hundredth time, knowing that this was probably just another one of his tricks.

_I can't believe I am doing this._ I shook my head mentally. I opened my eyes to look at the ground, my feet plastered on the ground. They suddenly felt heavy, as though choosing to go against me.

"Well?" he began, holding his hand out to the house, waiting impatiently. I bit my lower lip and forced my legs to move, even though they weighed greatly. Each step was painfully loud as I walked onto the concrete. It was as though there was an echo for each step. When I made it half way across the street, I glanced behind me to Desmond. He was still standing on the misty lawn, with his hands in his pockets, his fangs now glinting from the streetlights as he smiled widely, watching my shaking form cross the street and into what I now believed was going to be my doom.

Like a secret agent, I pressed my back against the side of the house, trying to be as invisible and quiet as possible. I could hear Desmond chuckle from the other side of the street, laughing at my attempts to be like James Bond. I growled quietly, wanting to smash his head against something and forget about this whole deal. But I was **not** going to let him pester me for however long I was going to stay with him, making fun of me for being a coward.

I slid with my back to the side window. I peeked inside to make sure no one was in sight. The coast was clear. I took a quick glance around the dark first floor, seeing almost nothing. Almost. In the corner of the room, on a stand, just like he said, was a tiny red light. This was going to be easier than I had first thought. Feeling like a super agent, I silently grabbed the edge of the window and lifted it up. Whoever left their windows unlocked was an idiot. I kind of gracefully lifted my body onto the windowsill and pulled myself into the house. I took another glance around the dark first floor before putting my foot on the carpeted floor. I froze when the floor squeaked as soon as I put any weight on it.

My breath got caught, and I couldn't hear anything, and only hoped that it was the same for the owner of the house. I let out the breath and continued with putting my other foot on the floor, sighing mentally when the floor didn't squeak. Like a ninja, I go unnoticed while tiptoeing over to the red shining color. As I reached over to the stand, I suddenly realized how pretty the ruby was. Its light shined in the dark, its color and shape dazzling. It was a girl's best dream. That is if she loved jewels. I reached across to grab the ruby.

Without any warning, a hand surrounded my mouth while the other arm slid around my waist, bringing me back against a hard body. I screamed into the hand, panic taking over my reflexes. I tried to kick and move my arms, but I was suddenly frozen in place. I tensed and felt fear hit me hard as soft lips brushed against my ear.

"Well, what do we have here? A burglar? What a sweet and sultry being. So small and fragile. And human, no less. I think I'll take advantage of this little intrusion," a dark voice whispered against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. My eyes were so wide, I was sure they were going to break out of their sockets. I gasped and screamed again, feeling lips trail down to my neck, nipping at it. I froze when I felt fangs slide across the crook of my neck. Right then, I knew he was a vampire.

_Damn you, Desmond! You knew what I was getting myself into!_ I scream mentally, cursing Desmond in every possible way. Before I could blink my eyes, I felt a strange sensation run through my veins. I stared in horror, realizing I was suddenly in a totally different room. A bedroom. I grunted as I was thrown onto the bed like a rag doll. I went to sit up and pushed off the bed, only to be harshly pushed back down and hovered by a dark figure.

"No!" I screamed as he grabbed my wrists and pinned them to the bed. I finally got a good view of him in the dark when the lights from the streetlamps shined in. I gasped. He was handsome, but had dark crimson eyes. His dark brown and bleached hair was spiked with too much gel.

I started to stammer. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I mean, I did, but..." I couldn't finish, unable to suddenly speak as he smirked down at my stuttering form. I stared with wide eyes while his fangs sparkled in the dark, just like Desmond's. I struggled to lift my wrists, but barely got them to move at all. He was too strong.

"You're a very peculiar girl. It's not every day that I meet a human with such...beauty and desirable...scent, I believe is the right word. I think I shall put you to good use. And I have a feeling you'll enjoy it...for the most part," he ended with a chuckle that made the hairs on my skin stand on end.

"No! I'm sorry. Please—just let me go!" I tried to reason with him, begging for him to get off of me. He merely chuckled at my pleading, his head bending down to my neck. I tried to kick my legs to get him off, but nothing seemed to make him budge. I think I only made matters worse by struggling against him, for he let out a low growl.

Just when I thought it was the end for me, when his fangs trailed across my neck, a sudden force pulled him off of me and threw him into the wall on the other side of the room, making the wall crack. I immediately sat up and saw a cool and composed Desmond standing next to the bed. I gritted my teeth, wanting to slaughter him for this whole deal. Ignoring me, he walked over to the other vampire and stood before him, his hands in his pockets. The vampire, who was now slumped on the ground, looked up with mad eyes, but as soon as they saw that it was Desmond, they turned to fear. I could feel the panic radiate off of him.

"D-Desmond?!" he stuttered in shock, backing further against the wall. Desmond looked at his nails, as though he had just touched something grotesque and was trying to get the feeling off of him. I watched with narrowed eyes and observe the scene before me.

"Marcus, I would like to introduce you to my new love, Grace. Grace, come here," he said in a silky voice, glancing back to me while holding his hand out for me to take. I blinked a few times, not knowing where he was going with this. I saw from the floor that Marcus's eyes seemed to grow bigger when he heard the word _'love'_ in Desmond's sentence. I had, too.

I stood from the bed and slowly walked over to his side, holding out my hand to connect it with his. I gasped when he grabbed my hand and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me in a protective barrier, his eyes on Marcus, who still sat on the floor in shock. I tried not to hyperventilate with Desmond's arms wrapped around me, his head now resting on my shoulder.

"Now, as I recall, Marcus, that little ruby down there really belongs to me. I sent over my precious jewel, Grace, to retrieve it for me." Desmond was speaking in a deadly, but amused voice. I swallowed hard, feeling the cold of his body radiate onto me, sending icy chills across my body. I could feel him smirk when he felt I was tense against his body.

"I-I swear, I had no idea. Forgive me. It won't happen again." Marcus looked like a little bug, praying for his life to Desmond, who was the kid with the large shoes, ready to mush him. I turned my head to the side a little to see Desmond's fangs shine with a smile.

"Be sure that it doesn't. If you ever lay a hand on my Gracie ever again, I'll make sure that you suffer greatly. And tell the others it goes the same for them as well." Desmond sounded like he was enjoying himself, tormenting this pathetic name for a vampire. Marcus was looking like he was dying all over again.

"O-of course! And please accept my apology and best wishes for you both by taking one of my finest bottles of champagne." This guy was a total suck up when it came to Desmond.

_Was he really that powerful?_

I felt every muscle in my body tense when Desmond bent down and kisses my neck, obviously trying to show off in front of Marcus. I could do nothing but stay frozen in shock.

"Thank you, Marcus. We shall take our leave," he whispered against my ear. I was thinking he was trying to show off and make his comments more believable by touching me, but by the time he began to drag me to the door, I realized that he was just doing it to get a reaction out of me. His arm wrapped around my waist and leads me to the door, never releasing me as we walked down the stairs and to the first floor.

"Pathetic," I heard Desmond murmur from beside me, a wicked smirk on his face while he had his eyes closed. Marcus was probably still on the floor, his expression still frightened. As we walked towards the door, Desmond reached for something, snatching it protectively in his hands. He stopped and turned around.

"I almost forgot," he stated before disappearing within a blink of an eye and reappearing just as fast. The whole time, my eyebrow was raised to him in confusion. He smirked and lifted up his hand to reveal the fancy bottle of champagne. I shook my head while snorting, opening the door harshly and stomping outside. He chuckled from behind me, closing the door before appearing next to me, keeping up with my stomping pace easily.

"You're angry," he commented, noticing the irritated look on my face. I gritted my teeth, growling in frustration while turning to glare at him, pointing my finger at him without stopping.

"Of course I'm angry! You set me up, you jerk!" I snapped, fury flowing through my veins. This whole thing was all part of his plan, and I knew it from the smug look on his face during that whole rendezvous with his 'buddy', Marcus. His smug look only seemed to grow at my accusation. I growled and walked faster across the street while he shrugged his shoulders innocently, as though it was nothing to have worried about. I ignored him, and I walked up to the front door, opening it quickly, and slamming it in his face before he had the chance to walk in after me.

I turned around, and shrieked when I came face to face with the same smug Desmond, the bottle in his hand, the ruby in the other. I let out a loud snarl of aggravation and I brushed past him, making sure to slam my shoulder carelessly into his as I pasted him. I stomped into the television room, throwing myself on the black leather couch, my arms crossing over my chest while I fumed. I snatched the remote control and turned on the T.V. I practically screamed and threw the remote when the love scene from the second _Underworld_ was on.

"I like that scene," a voice came from behind me. I reached over and turned the channel to something else; flipping through channels quickly without really seeing what was on. Desmond walked from behind me and sat down next to me with two champagne glasses and the bottle he had gotten from Marcus. I kept my arms crossed over my chest while I flashed through the channels.

"Care to have a drink?" he asked friendly, his smirk perfect as always. I ignored him and kept my glare and eyes on the television screen. He let out a sigh and grabbed a cork screw before opening the bottle. My eyes watched from the side as he poured two glasses of the champagne, setting one in front of me on the coffee table.

"No thanks," I spat out, quickly averting my eyes from the welcoming sparkling drink. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back on the couch, one arm leaning on the back of the couch, looking rather relaxed. My eyes narrowed at him while he let out a tiny moan after taking a small sip of the sparkling liquid, his eyes closing.

"Man, that's good stuff," he said with a sigh. I rolled my eyes, trying to fight the urge to take one sip. My mother had always allowed me to take small sip of her drinks; nothing that would hurt me or get me drunk. It became a habit of mine to test taste all the bouquet whenever she was trying something new.

"You're missing out on a real great drink, Grace," he said while he sent me a small smirk. My eyes rolled again and turned back to the television. He let out a sigh and he set his drink down on the coffee table.

"Okay, so I used you. I'm sorry. I wanted to see if your powers would show if you were in a dangerous situation by yourself, but I guess that didn't turn out so well." He was speaking as though it was no big deal—that his actions were simply kind and helpful.

"You think? I almost got bitten because of you!" I tried to keep my voice leveled, but failed and I ended up yelling.

Desmond's face turned into a frown, looking more like me every second. "Look, I said I was sorry." He was sounding more defensive every second.

I finally turned to glare at him, my eyes showing my feelings. "You know what, Desmond? Sometimes sorry just isn't enough," I replied in a less angry voice, grabbing the glass of champagne he had poured for me and chugged it with one gulp. All was silent for a moment. I poured myself another glass, not caring if he was watching my every move or not.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had poured my fifth glass of champagne within ten minutes. I didn't care. I wanted to be reckless. Desmond's eyes were watching me devour the expensive champagne, not touching his after my remark.


	12. Aches & Pains

**Chapter 12**

Aches & Pains

You know how it feels to have a boulder smashed on your head? Well, if do, than you know how much a head can hurt. The morning after drinking an entire bottle of expensive champagne; the feeling is no different, trust me.

As the sun's light filled the large bedroom, I wanted nothing more than to be able to shoot it and make it turn off like a light. My senses were sensitive to anything and everything. I groaned, pulling the pillow over my head to hide my face away from the world. I knew that I did not look good this morning, especially since my head felt like it was cracking in half. Trying to hide away from the sun was really not helping. Even the nice comfy bed wasn't helping, sad as it may be. I pulled the pillow off my face, giving up fighting against the sun. When I opened my eyes, they blinked in confusion when the room was suddenly darker.

I slapped my forehead as it took me moments to realize that it wasn't the sun, but the ceiling lights that were showering me with their brightness. I groaned again and rolled over, only to feel that I was not alone in the nice and comfy bed. Blinking multiple times before realizing it was a body, I let out a scream of surprise. I quickly sat upright in the bed with a panicky face, but immediately regretted doing it quickly. The blood that had rushed to my head was rushing out, making me dizzy and my hangover even worse.

Clutching my head in pain, my eyes wondered to my attire. Another scream escaped my mouth. I had been changed into different clothes. With nervous eyes, I looked over to the body lying next to me in the bed. Many thoughts were running through my mind, but one particular was bothering me most.

"What did you do to me?!" I shouted out to the sleeping Desmond beside me. He didn't seem to move much, but my scream was enough to wake him from his slumber. Irritated and with a headache, I reached behind me to grab my pillow. Lifting it high over my head, I brought it down to hit him on the head. I gasped in surprise when Desmond caught it before it could hit him. Without care of the fancy pillow, he threw it to the ground beside him while growling, daring me to do something like throwing a pillow again.

"Get up and tell me why we're sleeping in the same bed! And why have my clothes been change?!" My shouting really wasn't helping my head. Like a zombie, Desmond forced himself into a sitting position. I almost fell off the bed when his eyes flashed to me with a crimson red color. His eyes closed as soon as he watched my reaction.

With a sigh, he lifted his tired looking body out of the bed. I couldn't help but blush. He was topless…and only had his boxers on. He stretched, reaching for the ceiling before tiredly walking toward the bathroom on the other side of the room. He closed the door behind him, disappearing from sight. I sat there, blinking in pain and in a slight reverie.

Staring down at my changed clothes, I had to admit that they were comfortable. It was just a simple light blue tank top and black pajama shorts. Clutching my head for a second time in pain, I gave up the fight and decided to lie back down onto the soft bed, but slower this time. After waiting for five minutes, Desmond walked out of the bathroom holding a cup of water in one hand, a painkiller in the other. I watched with tired eyes as he made his way to my side of the bed and waited for me to sit up so I could take the pill. I couldn't help but lift my eyebrow.

"Is that really a painkiller, or are you trying to poison me?" Desmond didn't seem amused by my joking and waited impatiently with a tired face for me to take the pill and cup of water. Not wanting to make him madder, I took the pill from his palm and the cup of water from his other hand.

"Thank you." I felt like I should be apologizing, but couldn't find myself saying the right words. He grunted a reply before turning and walking to the large couch ten feet from the bed, facing toward me as he laid himself down. Again, I repeated my questions.

"What did you do to me last night? And why am I in these clothes?" I tried to speak in a softer and more patient voice as I watched his eyebrows twitch in frustration while I prevented him from sleeping. Glancing across the room, I looked to the blinds that were pulled down, to prevent the sun from leaking into the room. It was finally the daytime.

"The answer to your first question is nothing. And as to why you are overreacting about me changing your clothes is beyond me. First off, you don't have much of an appealing body, so there wasn't much to look at. Second, even if you did have an appealing body, I am not the kind of guy to take advantage of a girl who is not sober." A little disappointed with his answers, I frowned. He was waving me off as if I were some plain girl. Well—I really was, but if I was here with him, I was obviously special—or so they said. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to fight the urge to pout. I lost the battle very quickly.

"You know, you're not so attractive yourself." I was lying, and lying a lot. He was anything but—well, not attractive. My comment seemed to spark enough interest in him that he opened his eyes, sat up, and smirked at me with a twisted smile. I shivered, having a feeling I was going to pay for saying anything.

Within less than a blink of an eye, he appeared in front of me, scaring me with surprise, letting a little scream escape my lips. Not only had I screamed, but fallen off the bed and onto the carpet floor. Desmond chuckled with a closed mouth. He had done nothing to prevent me from falling out of the bed and seemed to be enjoying the fact that I now looked like I was having a seizure.

"You ass! Don't scare me like that!" I accused breathlessly. For the hundredth time in three days, I held a hand over my heart to make sure it was still beating. Only moments after my heart began to regain its normal pace did my horrible hangover return, possibly worse than when I had first woken up. Clutching my head with one hand, the other propping me up with my elbow, I let out another groan of pain. My eyes were shut tight in pain, the painkillers not doing their job quick enough for me not to complain.

Desmond's amused face seemed to fade, noticing the distressed look on my face. It had all started out to be a simple game of fright, but it turned out to be a game of making things worse than they were. Sighing, he climbed over the bed and bent down next to me. As though I were a piece of paper, he lifted me onto the bed and gently laid me back onto the sheets.

"You're weird," I stated, confused by his actions. One minute he was tired, the next he was in playful mood, and then—out of nowhere—he feels bad for scaring me.

_'Boys...'_ That was my only thought as I shook my head slightly, not wanting to move from my position on the bed to make my headache even worse.

"I'm not the one falling out of beds." Touché. I tried to think of something to retort, but found my mind suddenly blank. It was full of too much pain at the moment. "By the way, you have nice morning hair. I'm sure it will be a new fad around here." How kind of him to comment my messy hair. Did he expect it to be perfect? Well, his always was, but I was a completely different being. I was** not** perfect. In fact, I thought myself to be far from it. I was just a normal/ "special" girl from England. My accent sounded more American than British, if anything, thanks to my father. My father was American, while my mother English. Figures that I didn't get the accent most guys would tumble over to hear.

Letting time slip by quickly, I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the headache. I failed to notice Desmond when he slipped out the bedroom door. My headache must have temporarily impaired my ability to hear.

After trying to find sleep for moments, I gave up trying. No sleep was better than forcing yourself to. I opened my eyes when I my stomach growled, and a wonderful smell filled the room. Opening my eyes, my head instantly turned to the open door. My lost look turned even more so when Desmond walked into the room with a large tray of food in his arms.

"It will make you feel better," he explained before I could ask anything. He set the tray of food on my lap while I sat up in the bed. Drooling over the food, I picked up the fork and stabbed it into the scrambled eggs without any hesitation. My eyes closed in satisfaction when I stuck it in my mouth, the taste wonderful beyond comparison. It had been a _very_ long time since I had eaten such good food.

My parents were such busy people that we never got to eat nice cooked food like this one. My parents were both strong attorneys and were always working on a case. I was the only child who was there whenever she could find the time from school. Until now, I had never traveled; only worked. Well, this wasn't exactly my kind of wish for a vacation. Definitely something I did not have in mind when I came to visit my Uncle Jeff.

"This is so good," I noted while Desmond went back to his seat on the large couch. He plopped himself on it lazily, watching me as I ate my food with satisfied looks. The food was definitely some of the best I had ever tasted. But, maybe I was just imagining that it was great because it had been a while since I had eaten good food. He seemed pleased by my response to the food and a sly smirk crept onto his face.

"How did you know my favorite eggs were scrambled with seasoning?" I asked through my pause while I stuck my fork into a piece of bacon. His eyes were closed, looking relaxed. As before, he opened one eye to glance to me before closing it again. It was another one of those weird silences where I knew he was keeping his mouth shut because he knew he would only be digging himself a hole. He was smarter than I first gave him credit.

"A wild guess," he replied when he heard that I had stopped eating just to hear his answer. My eyes narrowed at him on the couch, not taking one bit of his crap for truth.

"You expect me to believe that?" I asked through clenched teeth. Like the normal Desmond, he shrugged his shoulders, as though gesturing he didn't care if I believed him or not. There was no way he knew my favorite eggs by some wild guess. There was something more to this. With a frown on my face, I stuffed the rest of the food into my mouth, my eyes never leaving Desmond's figure on the couch.

Before I know it, I had devoured all that there was on the tray. It was by that time that he got up from his spot on the couch and walked over to the large window. With a swift movement, he pulled on the blinds to reveal no sun, but a nice darkened evening. My frown fell even more. It was already nighttime? I had slept all day.

"What's the matter? You look a bit disappointed." Of course, when he said this he was smirking. I struggled not to act like a child when he took a seat next to me on the bed, his top still naked...and still in his boxers. It was hard for me not to shake in panic.

"You are sure nothing happened last night." That came out of nowhere. Was I asking because I was disappointed nothing happened? Possibly. One side of me was disappointed while the other was jumping with joy. I turned my head to him and felt heat rush to my cheeks. He was smirking at me with a twisted smile—one that was extremely attractive. I gulped loudly, trying not to let my mouth hang open. My heart began to beat quickly, and it felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Desmond was leaning toward me, inching closer to me with each second.

On instinct, my body did the same, but moving away from him instead. This went on until I felt myself lean so far away from him that my back was flat on the bed and he was hanging over me with a hand on each side of my head, his arms holding him up. I stared with wide eyes and a hot face as he looked down to me with gorgeous eyes, his face even more so. I was beginning to think I was dreaming all this. Even my body was trapped between his. My heart pounded in my head like a drum as we remained in this position for what seems like forever, staring at each other from a short distance, our bodies just barely touching.

_This had to be a dream._

"Hey, Desmond!" a loud voice yelled, and the door slammed open. All time seemed to stop. This dream suddenly turned into somewhat of a nightmare. The familiar figure froze at the door, a look of shock written on his face. I was sure my face looked something like his. It was the worst moment to walk in. Desmond was just as frozen as me, his body trapping mine on top of the bed. For the first time, I saw pure shock on his face. He was just as surprised as I was. The fallen angel was still frozen in place, staring with shocked eyes.

"Sorry," he quickly apologized after snapping himself out of his alarm and slammed the door shut, leaving Desmond and me alone again. The loud shut of the door was enough to snap Desmond out of his stunned and frozen position. Within a blink of an eye, he disappeared out of sight, the door swinging slightly. I hadn't even noticed he had escaped out the door. Lost and dazed, I climbed out of the soft bed, every limb shaking. It was hard to stand. My legs were shaking and felt weak. It felt like I had just run a marathon. My hands grabbed onto the desk beside the bed for support, making sure I would not fall. I was still in shock that he had pulled a move like that one.

Running a nervous and shaking finger over my bottom lip, I attempted to snap myself out of the trance. His eyes had done something to me. The look in them was warm and wanting. For a moment, it seemed like he was staring into my very soul, gripping it and enveloping it in warmth. After all that had happened, it was as though he was trying to comfort me. And by his movements, it was almost like he was holding himself back from wanting to _kiss_ me. Though, it was probably only wishful thinking. But, there was still something in his eyes that intrigued me. His eyes were calling out to me.

I bit my lower lip and felt pain shoot through it. It was strange how pain could smack you out of any daze. Luckily, the pain that now stung my lip kept me out of trance and allowed me to move normally. Walking over to one of the large dressers, I noticed a yellow piece of paper taped on one of the drawers. I took it from the drawer and read the parchment, carefully looking over the nice writing.

Grace,

there are some clothes for you in the dresser. Don't complain about the style of clothing.

-Desmond

I smirked at the note, trying to hide the fact that my heart was still beating fairly fast. Setting down the note, I opened the dresser and began to scrabble through all the clothes until I found something that looked like it wasn't formal, but casual. I smirked after finding a pair of jeans and shirt that looked comfy and put them on.

Amazingly, they both fit perfectly. Once again, Desmond knew exactly what I liked and needed. I especially liked all the novelty shirts he had gotten me. I had a feeling there would be some kind of payback in the end. I ran to the bathroom and did my "normal" daily routine and brushed my hair and teeth. I suddenly wished I had make-up while I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Most people got mad when I put on make-up. They said that I looked better without any. I usually ignored them and put on a little foundation, light eye shadow, Mascara, and eyeliner. Unfortunately, since Desmond was a guy male vampire, there was not a case of make-up in the bathroom. I shook my head and put my hair up in a ponytail.

Sighing, I walked out of the bathroom. I walked out of the room slowly, but pick up the pace when I heard three voices talking down on the first floor. I struggled to slow my heart down, trying to forget about what had happened earlier between Desmond and me as I walked down the stairs. The conversation stopped as soon as they heard me walking down the stairs. When I reached the first floor and turned the corner to go to the living room, I stopped at the entrance and gave a shy smile and little wave to Ivan, Dawn, and Desmond. I had seen Ivan and Desmond tense when I had entered the room, but Dawn didn't seem to notice. Both Ivan and Desmond must have not said anything.

"Hey. What are you two doing here?" I immediately felt like I was being rude. Ivan and Dawn were Desmond's good friends, from what I could tell from our last visit with them. Dawn blinked a few times, but slowly let a small smirk creep onto her face. Ivan and Desmond, on the other hand, were acting a little more apprehensive. They really weren't helping.

"Well, Ivan and I were both wondering if you two hadn't killed each other yet. To my surprise, you both look in perfect shape. Well—almost. Desmond told me you got a hold of champagne and went a little crazy," she ended with another smirk. I strived not to let my shy smile fade into a frown. This was a totally different Dawn from the other night.

"Yeah...I guess I got a little carried away," I said innocently.

Desmond snorted loudly. "A little? I've never seen someone get smashed in such a short period of time," he said while he sent me a plain look. I bit my tongue to not snap back at him. He was all of a sudden acting like an ass. I was biting my tongue so hard that I could taste blood in my mouth. I was afraid I was going to bite my tongue off from trying to keep my mouth shut. Ivan and Dawn seemed to notice the sudden aura of anger in the room. I was giving Desmond the evil and dark glare that I was good at. He returned the dark look, but I had a feeling he was better at it than I was. Dawn jumped up from her seat on the couch and appeared beside me, throwing an arm over my shoulder. Yeah, this was definitely a new side of Dawn.

"Come on—we're taking you out." She seemed entirely friendly this time.

"Out?" I didn't like the sound in her voice. Ivan followed her lead and hopped out of his seat on the couch and grabbed Desmond before he can escape. We were both dragged out the front door, against our will. Desmond didn't seem like he was fighting much. Ivan also knew how powerful Desmond could be, but I didn't. In the past couple of days, the people we met showed nothing but respect for Desmond. It was a bit scary to think that he was the third strongest creature in this world.

"Where are we going?" I asked quickly while Dawn pulled me with her. I had a feeling that if I tried to escape her, it would be futile. After all, she and Ivan were fallen angels. Another thing that struck me as curious was that she was acting much nicer toward me this time. The previous time we had met she practically bit my head off. She was very upset that I had arrived to her house with Desmond.

"Both you and Desmond look a little...tense. Ivan and I agree that it's a good time to go out and see the town. Plus, we need to get you a dress," she added almost silently.

I coughed beside her. I had heard every one of her words.

"Excuse me? Did you say get a dress? For what?" I was afraid I was stuttering. My heart had stopped from what she could mean by getting a dress. She looked at me with a lost look before glancing back to Desmond and Ivan who were only a few steps behind us out the door.

"Desmond, you haven't told her yet?" she asked in a surprised voice, almost accusing. Desmond did his normal thing and shrugged his shoulders with a plain look, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Tell me what?" I asked, about ready to kill someone to get some answers.

Her surprised look turned into a soft smile and said, "About the ball, of course."


	13. Preparations

**Chapter 13**

Preparations

The last thing I was looking to wake to today was being dragged out the door by Dawn and Ivan, Desmond lazily following behind. It was strange to have the two fallen angels show up on Desmond's doorstep unexpectedly. I still hadn't figured out if it was his house or not, but the fact that Ivan and Dawn knew where it was, it had to be. He had too many houses for his own good.

The last thing on my mind right now was whether it was Desmond's house or not. My mind was fixed on Dawn's words. The words "dress" and "ball" were the only things ringing in my head. I had to smack myself out of my minor trance to make sure I wasn't hearing things. Those two words were **not** ones I liked to hear in one sentence.

"Why do I have to go?" I asked quickly, trying to find some way of getting out of this. It was probably just a bunch of vampires—that's not what I needed. In fact, I wanted to be far from any large group of creatures in this world. I figured that if you were human and wanted to live, you did not want to be stuck in a room full of blood sucking creatures.

"Well—first off—I don't think you want to be left alone in a house in a world you are unfamiliar with, do you? Who knows what will happen? Second, I don't think Desmond is willing to leave you alone in his house."

"In other words, I have no choice," I put it in shorter words. Ivan came from behind and put an arm around my shoulders.

"Pretty much," he agreed with me, a smug smile on his face. I quickly glanced behind me to Desmond. He was sticking a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it, one hand still stuffed in his pocket. Walking across the street, we reached Desmond's car. Dawn opened the front door and began to climb in.

"Dawn, sit in the back," Desmond said in a gruff voice before she could sit down. I was a bit stunned, and from the look of it, so was she. She blinked a few times, wondering if he were serious or not. He confirmed it when he climbed into the driver's side and sent her a dark look. She slowly backed away from the passenger seat. Even she was scared of him. Ivan had already gotten in the back seat. I was still frozen on the sidewalk. Before closing the door, Desmond threw his cigarette on the damp grass.

My eyes meandered and glimpsed around me, seeing the fog get thicker by the minute. It seemed like it was always dark in this world. There were a few hours of sun, but other than that, it seemed like the world was in constant darkness. The only lights that seemed to be on in this neighborhood were the streetlights. Not one of the houses had lights on, which gave the neighborhood a dead look.

"Grace, get in the car," Desmond demanded with no patience as he rolled down his window to tell me to get into the nice Dodge Viper. My eyes traveled across the area, a bad feeling creeping down my spine. Eyes—I could feel eyes on me from somewhere close by. I shook my head slightly when I saw a few creatures run swiftly across the distant lawns, all of them running on four legs. I shivered. They looked like 5 foot dogs, if not larger. There were at least three of them. All of them had hair of black, two of them with red eyes. My breath got caught in my throat while I stared with wide eyes.

I tried not to jump in the car, to get closer to Desmond in fright. When I slammed the door and shook slightly with wide eyes, he looked at me bizarrely when I looked like I was just about to have another heart attack. I stared ahead of me, waiting for one of the large dogs to jump on the car and try to bite my head off.

"Grace?" Desmond asked in a kinder voice than before. The panic on my face was probably worrying him a little bit. I finally remembered how to breathe and turned my eyes to look at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a low voice, almost sounding offended that I was staring at him with wide eyes, but wasn't speaking. I swallowed hard, trying to let the terror slide down my throat. I took one deep breath while closing my eyes, trying to pull myself together. If I was going to survive in this strange world, I was going to have to get used to seeing outlandish things.

"I'm fine. I just saw something—that's all." I was trying with all my might not to let my voice waver. The last thing I wanted was another reason for Desmond to pick on me. His mouth opened and closed, stopping himself from saying something. Turning back to the wheel, he started the nice car and put the car in gear. I couldn't hold back the impulse of looking back to see if the dogs were still there. They were gone.

Ten minutes was all that it took to get to the town. From the way Desmond drove, I wasn't surprised. He slowed his speed down to 30 MPH while we looked for a spot to park. The place was busy during the nighttime, but considering the type of creatures they were, I wasn't shocked. Though, it seemed just like an ordinary town with normal looking people. I knew most of them weren't humans; their pale complexions and graceful movements proved to me that much. I thought it was strange that none of them had red eyes like that other vampire, Bryce. Even Desmond had red eyes a couple of times, which scared me half way to death. I couldn't help but stare in awe. Everything looked like the common human world, except the humans were replaced with blood craving creatures.

"What is this place?" I wondered aloud, staring at all the creatures of the night walking on the sidewalks of the town. I shivered as we drove past a couple sitting on a bench, necking each other with want. I could tell they were vampires by the fangs that shined from the streetlights as they kissed. They looked like they wanted to eat each other, but really just lost in bliss.

"This is called a town," Desmond replied candidly. He was being a jerk again. Whenever he was around other people/ creatures, he was just plain mean. At first, I thought it was because he really didn't like me, but after last night and this morning, I knew it was all just an act. Maybe he didn't want people to think he was a softy. I shook my head, knowing that wasn't the case. Maybe I was being naïve, thinking he was just pretending to be macho, when actually he was just hiding his affections. I almost laughed aloud at the thought. Desmond was not the type of person to fall for some _normal_ girl like me. I guess it was just wishful thinking.

"I got that part. I just can't believe that it looks so...normal." I had to pause to say the right words. I didn't want to offend the whole car by saying that I was expecting lots of screaming and blood in the streets; that was how I first imagined the town.

"Perhaps we're not so different after all," Ivan added warmly in the back while staring out the window. Dawn was doing the same, but with a frown. I had a feeling Desmond's cold shoulder toward her was not helping my relationship with her, if I had one at all. I didn't understand one thing; if she liked Desmond, than who was Ivan to her? Sighing, I pushed the consideration away, deciding that I shouldn't trouble myself with more useless questions.

Desmond pulled his sports car into a parking spot next to the sidewalk and turned off the engine. He didn't take his time in getting out of the car, and neither did Dawn and Ivan. By the time I was opening my door, they were already waiting for me on the sidewalk.

After closing the door to the car, I walked over to them on the sidewalk, wanting to be particularly close to Desmond. I could feel eyes on me in all directions. Desmond's eyebrow lifted when he saw me scoot closer to him while he lit up another cigarette. Ivan and Dawn exchanged glances with the same lost look as Desmond's. They didn't say anything and merely shrugged their shoulders before they began to walk. Desmond blinked a few times while I remained standing next to him with uneasy eyes. He caught on quickly and smirked with the cigarette sticking out of his mouth.

"Don't worry—I won't let anything happen to you." He was smirking with confidence as he assured me with his words. I gulped, still feeling hundreds of eyes on me, staring at me hungrily. I felt much better when standing next to Desmond; everyone was afraid of him. Well—almost everyone. I kept up with his pace while he stuffed his hands in his pockets, following Ivan and Dawn as they walked ahead of us. I wanted to bite my nails off; I was so worried. I did **not** want to do this today. I glanced up to Desmond as he towered over me when it came to height.

"Do you know where we're going?" I asked in a low tone. He stared ahead of him with his cigarette puffing out smoke, blinking a few times.

"Not a clue," he replied nonchalantly.

I glance behind me and gasped and leaned closer to Desmond. There were vampires and creatures stopping what they were doing, staring after Desmond and me as we walked down the sidewalk. It felt like we were famous celebrities walking down the street, but everyone was too afraid to walk up to us and ask for our autograph. Again, Desmond noticed my apprehensive figure draw closer to him. A short smirk crossed his features.

"Why are they staring at us?" I asked with a loud gulped while each pale creature stopped what they were doing and stared.

Desmond shrugged beside me. "They're probably surprised to see you with me." His smirk didn't falter, his head held up high. He seemed so proud about something.

"And why is that so surprising?" I spoke before I could stop myself. He closed his eyes, taking a deep inhale of smoke, and then letting it out with a sigh. His eyes remained closed while he walked. From the looks of it, he wasn't going to tell me. I did the same and let out a loud sigh. He was so open to me the other night. Now he was back to being Mr. Narcissistic. Taking a quick glance ahead of us, I made sure that Dawn and Ivan were out of hearing range, so I could ask him a few questions.

"Your family, do they know about what you do?" I tried my best to put it in words without really insulting him. Desmond stopped walking, freezing as soon as I asked the question. I did the same after two more steps. Staring at him, I waited for him to say something. He was staring at the ground, as though finding the cracks more interesting. For a moment, his eyes looked sad, making me regret saying anything. Swallowing, I took the two steps back toward him, standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry, it's not my business. I have no right..." I stopped in mid-sentence as he raised a hand up in front of my face, gesturing for me to stop speaking. His eyes rose from the ground after he grabbed his cigarette from his mouth and dropped it to the ground, stepping on it to put it out.

"No—you have every right. I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not here," he explained in a low tone, his eyes piercing mine. I felt like I was in a trance. His eyes were soft and warm at times, it drew me to them like a magnet. Knocking myself out of my reverie, I nodded my head in agreement.

"Hey! What's taking you two so long?" I growled mentally as Ivan yelled from the small crowd, sending all eyes to Desmond and me. That's just what I needed—more eyes to feast upon my weak and human form. I tensed when I felt Desmond wrap an arm around me in a protective hold, telling all those who stared upon me with hunger to be careful of what they eyed. I mouthed a _'thank you'_ when I glanced up to him. He replied with a low grunt before pulling me beside him while we caught up to the two fallen angels.

"Seems like everyone is eyeing you like candy, Grace," Ivan mocked when Desmond and I finally made it to them. A small frown was playing on Dawn's lips. A bit of jealousy, perhaps? Most likely. I stared at her, hoping her eyes would meet mine. They did after a moment of her eyes staring hopelessly at Desmond. I quickly mouth _'I'm sorry'_ as her eyes caught mine. Her eyes seemed to lighten a bit, her frown lifting while she shook her head and lifted a hand for me to say no more. I already felt a little better. I didn't want to be Dawn's enemy, especially when she was much stronger than me.

"So, where are we going, exactly?" I dared to ask. Only bad could come of this shopping. I was not the kind of girl who liked to go out shopping for clothes. Yes, I was a very different kind of girl when it came to shopping. My friends never got me on that part—always wondering if I had some sort of illness. Now days, I believed I did have one. I was seeing vampires and fallen angels...and Lucifer's son.

Desmond released his hold around me while Dawn reached out and grabbed my wrist before I could react in any way. She pulled me down the footway for about twenty steps before she dragged me into a spiffy looking store. I froze as soon as I walked in the door, staring with bulging eyes. My mouth dropped to the floor. I began to breathe faster, panic rushing through my veins. I struggled to speak words, but nothing came out. Dawn simply laughed and dragged me further into the store. This was turning into a** nightmare**!

"Grace, snap out of it. You're not going to die from trying on a few dresses," Dawn said with a nudge of the shoulder. I was still flabbergasted. This had to be one of the fanciest and most expensive looking dress shops I had ever seen. The place looked like it was fit for a queen. It was at least three floors high, full of some of the most beautiful dresses I had ever seen, and I was still on the first floor.

"Well—are you going to go try something on, or what?" Desmond asked me as he and Ivan strode into the store, lagging behind and not looking enthusiastic at all. I gulped loudly, feeling the lack of enthusiasm as well. Ivan nudged me in the back to get moving. I walked forward and looked at the first row of dresses. A lot of them were not my type. I could hear Desmond and Ivan sighs together, both thinking that this was going to take all day at the pace I was moving.

"Before I start searching for a dress, I should at least know as to why I am being forced to this so called "Ball". What's the point of it?" I made quotation marks with my fingers when I emphasized the word 'ball'. Ivan smirked and glanced to Desmond when he frowned. I glanced beside me to Dawn, who was making the same face as Ivan.

"Desmond didn't tell you?" Ivan asked before Dawn could. I shook my head, completely clueless as to why they both seemed to be amused.

"It's Desmond's birthday," Dawn spoke happily from beside me. I froze for the second time, staring with wide eyes at Desmond. He, on the other hand, looked like he could care less. Even his shoulders were slouched as though he were disappointed they had even said anything.

"Why didn't you just say we were going to a party? I wouldn't have been so freaked out then." This was all a lie. In fact, I was now more panicked than before. Desmond was bound to have many friends, considering his high stature in this world. But what scared me the most was the thought of Cain showing up to the party. Dawn and Ivan pointed their attention to Desmond.

"Ask him. He's the one who told us not to call it a _party_, but a ball. If you want to blame anyone, blame him." Dawn explained, pointing to Desmond in accusation. I shook my head, shaking off all the bad thoughts of what could happen at this 'ball'. With a sigh, I turned and walk toward the stairs on the other side of the room to go to the second level of the large dress shop.

For an hour I searched through the thousand dresses, not finding** one** that I liked. Dawn had offered a few ideas of dresses, but her idea of appropriate was more on the...exposed side. The last thing I needed was more attention. Even Desmond and Ivan found their liking of dresses and asked me to try them on. I knew they both wanted me to just try one on and get it so they could leave. Also, the dresses they picked were no better than the ones Dawn picked, if not worse. Their idea of a good dress was practically nothing.

"Here, how about this one?" Dawn asked, holding up another strapless dress, a slit going up the thigh. I frowned and shook my head in disapproval. She did the same, frowning while taking the dress back to its place. I sighed, finding shopping to be the most impossible thing for me. Frowning, I turned away from another rack of dresses, feeling all hope of finding one I liked impossible. By this time, Ivan and Desmond were down on the first floor, sitting impatiently in the chairs they had for those who just shook their head at those who took a lot of time in finding a perfect dress.

"I give up," I murmured to myself as I turned and give up all hope. When I turned, my eyes caught a glimpse of something sparking from the lighting in the room. My eyes lit up when I saw the perfect dress on the other side of the room, standing out amongst the rest.

"Dawn! I found the perfect one!" I screeched in excitement, running over to the dress as though there were a line of people waiting to get.

"Finally," Dawn said with a loud sigh of exhaustion. I took the dress from the rack and held it out for her to see it. "Wow—nice choice, I must say. You have good taste. Go try it on before the guys die from boredom." Ha ha. What I nice pun. Shaking my head, I rushed into the dressing room to try on the dress. I quickly put it on and looked at myself in the body length mirror. To my surprise, this dress looked pretty good on me. I was always told I had a smaller body, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

"Have you tried it on yet? You have to let me see before you take it off!" Dawn demanded while she stood outside of the dressing door. I smiled at the mirror once more before opening the door to reveal my chosen dress. Dawn's eyes broaden a bit, but she immediately composed herself. "If I were a guy, I would totally do you." I choked out a laugh at how serious she sounded. She laughed along with me.

"You think I should get it?"

"I don't think; I know," she assured me as I walked back into the dressing room to take off the dress. After I put my clothes back on, we both rushed down the stairs with smiles on our faces, both now excited—well, sort of. I was beginning to like Dawn more and more. As we reached the first floor Desmond and Ivan looked like they were about to fall out of their seats. It had taken longer than I had first anticipated. Though, when it came to me, one was to expect such things. Desmond's eyes were half shut with his head leaning back against the wall, staring off into space. Ivan was doing something similar.

"We're done, I believe." Dawn's voice was enough to knock them out of their bored and dazed expressions. Desmond's eyes were dull, as though monotony had taken a strong effect on his body. Ivan jumped to his feet when he saw Dawn and me standing with large bags, waiting for them to move from their position on the chairs.

"It's about time," Ivan grumbled.

"A bit ridiculous," Desmond added. Dawn glanced to me with a smirk on her face, happy that she had found a dress, too. Hers was a bit more revealing than mine, but pretty none-the-less. Before my eyes turned back to the males, they both were already out the door. I quickly walked after them, suddenly feeling nervous again. As long as I was next to Desmond, I was okay.

We reached the car and climbed in after throwing our bags in the trunk. With nervous eyes, my eyes glanced out the window to see the many creatures **still **staring at me.

"You're still worried?" Desmond mocked while he revved the car to life. A smirk was playing on his lips as he put the car in first gear and began driving back to the house. As before, Ivan was staring aimlessly out the window while Dawn text messaged with her cell phone. They had cell phones here, too?

"May I inquire as to when this _party_ takes place?" I made sure to stress the word 'party', just for Desmond's pleasure. He smirked, hearing the wonder in my voice, but not missing the dismay.

His frown quickly returned. "Tonight," He replied, almost sounding angry. I twitched at the reply. This was all so sudden. I wished I had been a bit more informed. From the looks of it, Desmond didn't seem any more enthused about this than I did. Dawn leaned over the back of my seat, her head right next to mine.

"You know you're going to let me do your hair and make-up, right?" I had a feeling I was not going to have a choice in this. Sighing loudly, I nodded my head, not wanting to push any buttons and make this situation worse.

_This was going to be a __very__ long night. _


	14. The Birthday Ball

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the wonderful comments; they keep me going. :)

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**Chapter 14**

The Birthday Ball

As soon as I stepped out of the car, Dawn grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the house, up the stairs, and into the bathroom in a matter of seconds. I was sure Desmond and Ivan were still in the car, blinking in surprise at how fast Dawn had forced me into the house. She pushed me to sit on the toilet seat, grabbing many things from a large bag she had grabbed on the way in. I stared with nervous eyes. I had a feeling Dawn was the kind of person who liked to do the whole model dressing thing. I watched as she sat as much make-up as a professional on the large bathroom counter, along with many hair styling utensils. I jolted when she twisted around quickly, a hand resting under her chin in a pondering look.

"I wonder..." she muttered to herself. She was staring at me with glee. She obviously enjoyed playing Barbie with live specimens. My eyes were jittery, unable to handle her stare.

"Aha! I've got it!" she shouted, making me jump a foot from my seat. After a moment of regaining my normal heart rate, she went to work, pulling my hair into a bun before doing her magic.

Three Hours Later

After three hours, I was getting tired of sitting. My face felt like it was heavy with pounds of make-up. I groaned at Dawn when she made sure _everything_ was perfect. My hair felt nasty—it had way too much gel in it. Dawn decided that since I was going to be around a bunch of bloodsuckers that it would be best to hide my neck. I didn't object. I bit back the urge to look at myself in the mirror—not that Dawn would let me or anything. She had some kind of rule that if she did my make-up and hair, I had to wait until she was _completely _finished. So, now I sat and waited for her to finish. She was now working on her own make-up and hair, which frustrated me to now end.

"You're not going to make me stay here and watch you do your make-up, are you? It took you hours to do mine. I can only imagine how long it's going to take yours." Not that she needed a lot of make-up or anything. In fact, she didn't need any. When I had first met her, she looked just like any other human. But for some reason, she had changed in the last couple of days from an ugly duckling to a gorgeous swan. I couldn't help but shake my head at the thought. This world made no sense to me.

She turned around from the mirror and smiled. "Don't worry; I do my make-up pretty fast. Since you're a human, you don't exactly have the same...attributes as those of us who are dead," she paused as she tried not to offend me.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "You think?" I grumbled, turning my face away with a frown. It was unfair how natural beauty was to these creatures. I envied every one of them for their beautiful and pale complexions. Since Dawn and Ivan were a different species, they were darker in complexion than Edward or any of the other vampires I had encountered. They were still dead, but still looked like they had some color in their faces.

"Put on your dress. We don't have much time. And I'm sure the guys are getting impatient," she said as she put on her make-up. I nodded my head and walked over to the bag that had my dress. I somehow put it on without getting any make-up on its pure color. I gasped after I put my dress on, surprised that Dawn had already done her hair and make-up. Her hair was up in a fancy bun, pieces of her red hair hanging from different spots. She looked amazing. It made me frown at how little effort she had to make to look like an angel. She turned around from the mirror and gasped. I tensed under her gaze, afraid that make-up was smeared across my face and/or dress. Had I ruined all her long work?

"What? Did I ruin the make-up?" I asked, my voice wavering.

She blinked with wide eyes before speaking. "No, it's fine. Wow...you look...amazing," she whispered. I stepped back, astonished that was her reply. I was expecting her to tell me bad news.

I gave a shy smile, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Thanks. But I think you look much better," I whispered. She smiled, shaking her head, and turning to the bag on the floor and lifting her dress from the bag. I was starting to like hers more and more. She put on her dress three times faster than I had and stood before me, putting me to shame when it came to beauty.

With a smile, she winked at me before opening the door, letting in air that didn't smell like hairspray. I decided not to look at myself in the mirror, afraid of what I might see. Instead, I walked out of the bathroom, following Dawn. When I reached the stairs, I saw Dawn and Ivan at the bottom of the stairs, hugging...and **kissing**? Both Desmond and Ivan were in nice tuxes, looking as great as ever. Desmond was facing away from me, growling annoyed comments under his breath. Ivan stopped kissing the beautiful Dawn for a moment when he caught a glance of me. His eyes bulged for a moment, staring at me while I feared to take the first step on the stair.

"Dawn, how did you create such a remarkable piece of art?" he asked. Dawn smiled at Ivan, kissing him on the lips to clout him out of his amazed expression. This proved to me that they **did** have some kind of relationship. Sighing, Desmond finally turned around to face me, his eyes to the ground. His eyes lifted from the ground, and when they landed on me, his whole expression turned dumbfounded. I forgot how to breathe when he remained silent, staring at me open mouthed and wide eyed. At this moment I was glad I had tons of make-up on to hide the blush that I knew would be visible without the foundation.

"Hey! Desmond! Weren't you the one who was complaining just a minute ago that you wanted to leave?" Ivan ridiculed from the doorway, his arm around Dawn's hip. For some strange reason, this settled me in some way—knowing that Dawn already had someone like Ivan. He pulled her along with him out the door, both of them with wide smiles. I descended down the stairs, hoping that if I got closer to Desmond it would knock him out of his reverie. When I reached the last stair my high heal shoe caught the stair, forcing me to lose my balance. I fell forward and straight into his arms before I could fall to the floor. He was tense as soon as I touched him.

"Sorry," I muttered quickly while I regained my posture and stood up right.

Desmond's eyes nervously looked away and to the door where Dawn and Ivan had just exited. "We should get going," he said in a low voice before beginning to walk. I frowned, feeling as if he was already trying to avoid me. I let out a gasp when I felt his hand surround my wrist, pulling me with him out the door. He closed the door as soon as I was out of the house. He pulled me close to him while walking across the lawn.

"Try your best to stay by my side the whole time. I don't want to have to go searching for you tonight," he whispered so that Dawn and Ivan wouldn't be able to hear. I sighed. _Typical Desmond. _We both walked to the black limo that was waiting for us. I slid across the nice leather to make room for Desmond. He slid in beside me before closing the door. Dawn and Ivan were staring dreamily at each other from the seat across from us. I made sure to keep my eyes toward the tinted window as the limousine began to drive, uncomfortable at how close the two were. Why hadn't they showed any sign of attachment before? My hands began to sweat while they clenched into tight fists, nervousness enveloping me for some reason. I almost jumped a foot when Desmond leaned over to put a hand on top of mine.

"Relax," he whispered as he bent next to my ear, his breath sending shivers across my body. I erratically nodded my head when he waited for a response before pulling away from my neck, but not before taking a big inhale of breath, sucking in my scent. I did my best not to scoot away from him when he let out a moan of satisfaction when he pulled away from me. The moan obviously didn't affect Dawn and Ivan as they kept necking each other.

Luckily, the ride to our destination was short. I didn't wait for the driver to get out of his seat, jumping out of the car as though I were claustrophobic. As soon as my eyes looked up from the ground, I gasped at the sight. A castle in all its glory lit up the dark night. Candles were lit everywhere, making it look even more miraculous.

"Like it?" Desmond asked from beside me in an almost happy tone. With my mouth ajar, I nodded my head. Smacking myself out of my shocked expression, I turned to him and gasped when I saw him with a warm look on his face. He looked even more angelic with a pleasant face; something I didn't think was possible.

"Come on you two. You are lagging behind," Dawn called as she and Ivan walked down the brick sidewalk and toward the large castle. To my surprise, I felt Desmond wrap his arm around my waist and guided me toward the castle behind the two fallen angels.

"I can't believe I didn't know," I murmured to myself, still not believing that Dawn and Ivan were together. I felt stupid for being jealous of Dawn's feelings toward Desmond.

"What?" he asked me in an uninterested tone.

"I can't believe that Dawn and Ivan are in love." He laughed quietly beside me. I looked to him and growled at how perfect he was tonight. He looked so wonderful in a Tux. His teeth glinted from the lighting of the castle's light, his fangs glinting the brightest.

"They've been together before death." I tensed, still not used to the innocent words such as death, blood, and pain. I blinked, watching the two fallen angels stare into each other's eyes with such love; it made me want to give them award of some sort for looking so happy. Would I ever be that happy? Was love not for me? It hadn't come my way yet. Well, almost hadn't. I glanced beside me to Desmond as we walked up the concrete steps to the large castle, his face suddenly turning emotionless. The door holders at the front of the castle nodded their heads in respect, obviously knowing Desmond and treating him with respect.

As soon as we walked into the castle, everything seemed to engulf me with light. I tensed when all eyes turned to us. I suddenly wanted to run the other way, screaming. My sense of security next to Desmond diminished when all dark eyes did not lie on him, but me. I was a human in a castle full of blood drinking creatures, and I was the new target. I tried to play it cool and smiled a nervous grin next to Desmond while he walked me down the stairs and to the large ballroom floor. It had to be one of the most amazing sights I had seen. The biggest chandelier I had ever seen hung from the ceiling, lighting up the whole ballroom. Many beautiful and graceful creatures waltzed to the live orchestra that was playing.

"Desmond!" I heard a familiar and feminine voice call. I sighed and I noticed Desmond's family talking to many other vampires. Selene, Desmond's perky brown haired sister, ran over to us with a large smile. His smile returned as before when she ran up to him. He released his hold around me to catch her in his arms when she threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.

"We've missed you. Mom and dad have been worried sick about you. We get one call from you, and then you disappear. Oh! Grace!" she suddenly changed the subject when she saw me standing sheepishly next to Desmond, feeling very out of place. To my surprise, she turned to me and gave me a hug.

"Wow, Desmond. You must really like her to keep her human for so long...or alive." Twitch. Selene noticed my sudden tense form, making her smile fall a bit. "I'm sorry; that was rude of me," she apologized with a sincere tone and expression.

I smiled and shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'll get used to it, one way or another." That seemed to cheer her up. She turned around with a wide smile, calling over her family. It was strange; I felt like I was being acknowledged as by the family. All but Aurelia—Desmond's drop dead gorgeous blonde sister—walked over to greet us. She was being pampered by all the other vampires who found her so very appealing. Darien—Desmond's attractive copper haired brother—grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a rough guy/family hug.

"It's good to see that you are well," Darien commented with a smile, and then backed away so that Lucas could walk forward and greet his brother. Lucas was looking a bit more nervous than the rest—especially when my eyes landed on him. It was true that it was only days ago that his bloodlust had become too much and had bitten me—barely. But if it wasn't for Desmond being there to stop him, he probably would have killed me. Desmond gave his brother a strange look before smirking and bringing him into a tight bear hug. Lucas returned it. They pulled away and Desmond turned his attention to his "parents".

"Hey," Lucas began in a low tone, surprising me. I was not expecting him to ever talk to me after the last encounter we had.

"Hey," I replied in the same manner. He clicked the heel of his shoe on the marble floor, staring at the ground, and then looking up.

"About last time...I just want to apologize for my actions; I was very out of line." It sounded like he was having a hard time apologizing. I smiled. This surprised him.

"Apology accepted," I replied with a smile. Letting his surprise slip from his face, it was replaced with the same smile as mine. Desmond broke from his parents and grabbed my elbow, pulling me to stand in front of the two older couple. I froze. What would they think if they found out what Desmond _really_ did? Why I was still with him? If I let anything slip, Desmond would surely kill me. I swallowed hard at the thought and tried to focus on the two vampires in front of me.

"You must be Grace," The woman said in a kind voice, a smile on her face. I gulped again and nodded my head shyly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you properly. I am Celeste." I already liked this woman. The man beside her stepped forward to smile.

"And I am Reyes. I am happy to see that both you and Desmond are well." They really were just like one happy family...with a few secrets on the side.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," I said with a shy voice. I felt like I should be bowing or something. They turned their attention back to Desmond, making the atmosphere seem kinder.

"Desmond, how does it feel to be another year old?" Lucas asked with a smile. It then hit me; I still hadn't found out his age.

Desmond smirked, but shrugged his shoulders in an uncaring gesture. "Nothing unusual; each year is the same. Well, almost," he said, taking a glance down to me. I turned red and mentally thanked Dawn a second time for putting so much make-up on me. My eyes shied away and found the ground more interesting than his piercing eyes and gorgeous smirk. My eyes glanced around me to see about twenty girls ready to jump on me. Their glares were dark and piercing—almost a red color. I attempted to ignore it, scooting myself closer to Desmond. He noticed this and smiled a bit, bringing his hold around me into a tighter hold.

"You still haven't told me how old you are," I grumbled, annoyed that I had been waiting so long as to find out such a simple thing as an age. All the Cervantes family—except for Desmond—shots him a surprised look.

"Desmond, you still haven't had the manners to tell the poor girl your age?" Celeste picked on him. Again, he shrugged his shoulders in an indifferent way, as if to say it didn't matter when it came to me. I was human, nothing more.

"Have the care to at least tell the poor girl your age. Or are you too embarrassed to tell her?" Darien went along with the play, trying to make Desmond feel bad. A girl now stood next to Darien, clinging to him for dear life. She was a vampire, no doubt about that.

"No. I just like to keep things interesting," he replied nonchalantly. I really wanted to hurt him right now. Why did he always try to act so cool around others, but not me? Selene popped up from the crowd around Desmond and me and smiled a crooked smile.

"Well, if Desmond won't tell, than I will," she began, but made sure that I was practically on my toes, waiting for her to say the age. "He's 117." I didn't know if that was still young, but it still surprised me. Desmond glanced to me, feeling how tense I suddenly was after his age had been spoken. I glanced up and noticed the look on his face was around the lines of 'Is that bad?' I shook my head slightly, knocking myself out of my shock.

"Wow...you're 100 years older than I am," I whispered in surprise. "But, how old were you?" I asked in a low whisper, but his family caught my question and turned their eyes away. Desmond, on the other hand, smirked and shook his head.

"I'm afraid you only get one age for today." My heart skipped a beat when he winked at me, looking better than ever. I quickly glanced to the floor to escape the embarrassment. After moments of thinking to myself next to Desmond, some of the girls who had been glaring at me walked up to him and asked him to dance. To my surprise, he denied them all, kindly.

Everything felt so right. That was until I felt a cold chill run down my spine, red eyes appearing from the crowd. Every muscle in my body contracted, which Desmond didn't not fail to notice. Glancing around, he noticed why I was so edgy. A low growl erupted from his chest, his grip on me tightening. Walking through the crowd appeared the vampire that I already hated; Bryce. He smirked when he saw Desmond's protective hold on me and my tense form. The last time we had encountered was at Dawn's and Ivan's. He was another minion of Cain's, which made me hate him even more.

"Well, if looks could kill. You look dazzling, Grace. I thought it would never be possible for a human to look so...desirable," he said in a sultry voice as he made his way and stood in front of Desmond and me. Desmond's nails were beginning to dig into my hip. I lost my breath when Bryce held out his hand with a bow.

"May I have this dance?" he asked with a wicked smile on his face. Desmond growled a warning, his hold on me almost choking. "Desmond, I thought you had more manners. Besides, you can't keep one girl to yourself all night. It is your birthday, after all, and still has other guests. You wouldn't want to be rude, would you? Or lose your reputation for that matter." Bryce really was as cunning and as sleazy as any other creature out there.

I stared in horror when Desmond sighed—releasing his hold on me after a moment—and pushed me right into Bryce. My heart stopped when his freezing, cold arms caught me. I stared back at Desmond, but he was already gone. Wasn't it he who said to stay by his side all night? Before I could deny him further, Bryce pulled me against his cool chest and forced my hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand. I felt like smacking him when he rested his other hand on my waist, swaying in sync with the music.

"I think I'm going to enjoy having you as my new master. You can do whatever you want to me." He had a hint hidden in his voice. I gagged mentally and did everything to avoid his red gaze.

"That makes one of us," I retorted with menace. I kept tripping over his feet while we continued to dance, almost losing my balance and falling closer to him. He was doing it on purpose.

"Indeed," he said amusingly, bringing me closer to him. I felt every inch of me tense when he leaned forward to my neck and inhaled my scent. "Very much," he whispered against my neck, his breath freezing my skin. And then—within a second—he was gone. I blinked, surprised that I was now dancing with myself.

Everyone around me acted like I now wasn't a target, but from the short glances they were giving me, I knew differently. They really wanted to attack me and suck every ounce of blood out of me, watching my lifeless body fall to the marble floor; that's what all the single females in the room were thinking. Even some of the males were eyeing me like candy.

I took a deep breath of air, finding the room suddenly had no oxygen. I quickly found an open door and rushed out to breathe in the cool night air. I sighed, finding the night to be tiresome. I walked onto the patio that connected to a brick walkway. I blinked, looking over the fancy tiling, even for bricks. I followed the brick road and walked beneath an arbor with flowers winding up the wood and over the top. I gasped when the brick walkway lead me to a humongous garden full of every type of flower one could ever imagine. I walked forward, staring in awe at all the beautiful flowers. I touched the pedals of a burning red rose, little droplets of dew hanging on its velvet pedals. Everything in this garden looked like a piece of art.

I gasped as a black rose in full bloom appeared in front of me, held by a quiet hand. I slowly took the beautiful black rose from the hands, staring at it in complete wonder. The black rose was unlike anything to be seen. Such a thing could only be seen in fairy tales. A shiver ran down my spine as the person leaned their head to my ear, their breath icy gliding across my skin.

For the voice whispered, "For my princess." Every bit of awe and happiness I had felt at all today suddenly evaporated. My eyes bulged in complete horror, my mouth hanging open slightly. My hold on the black rose became loose, but did not escape my hands. For half the night, I had been hoping that I would not have to see him any time soon. All those hopes now went crashing to the floor and shattering into a thousand pieces. His hand surrounded my hip and turned me to face him. I stared in terror.

"Cain..." I whispered in fright. His golden hair and bright eyes had not changed since I had last seen him, and neither had his dark, cynical smile.

"Grace..." he whispered, his eyes looking at my face for a short period of time before letting them glance down the rest of me, "You look...stunning." I could see in his eyes the lust he hid behind them. His eyes could not stop running up and down my body, memorizing it. I felt like screaming out for Desmond, but I was solid in place. I couldn't even find the courage to speak, let alone think. My mind was completely blank, too full of horror and shock. This was the man who had caused me all this pain. He was the one who had taken me from my home, my parents, and my life. He had done everything—and yet, I couldn't even move.

"There are no words that can describe how beautiful you are tonight. If only I could take you home with me right now," he spoke as he surrounded his arm around my waist, his other hand reaching up and pushing away a piece of hair behind my shoulder. A squeak escaped the little space between my lips, but nothing else was heard. Cain's eyes moved from my body and back up to my face and stayed transfixed with my lips. He stared at them for a moment in silence, a look of want in his eyes.

Why couldn't I react? Why couldn't I scream for Desmond? Did Cain have some sort of power to render me helpless in every way? I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. I felt my breath get caught, and every inch of me stared in panic as he brought me closer to him, our hips just barely touching while he began to bend down. I felt like a limp doll when his eyes caught mine and bent closer to my lips, closing the gap between our faces.

"Cain." A dark voice came from behind me. Cain stopped his movements and froze, just as his lips were to touch mine. He stared into my eyes, casting a spell on me and refusing to let me go, but blinked. I did the same and slapped myself out of the spell. His eyes lifted from me and to the figure behind me. Cain smiled a false pleased smile.

"Desmond," he said gingerly, his voice sounding both fake and unpleasant. I forced myself out of his grasp and stammered back away from the Devil's son and to the vampire I wanted to be closed to. I practically ran back to his side, clinging onto his arm for dear life. Cain didn't look pleased by this reaction of mine, but made sure to pretend it didn't bug him. He wasn't doing a very good job of hiding his annoyance.

"Desmond, it's been too long. How have you been doing? Coping with my princess, I assume." Desmond nodded his head, but doesn't care to hide the glare on his face, burning his eyes into Cain. Cain was amused by this and smirked while walking forward toward us. I struggled to hide behind Desmond, clinging to his arm in fear. I felt cowardly, but I was terrified of Cain, my future husband. He was, after all, the second most powerful creature in this world, which was saying something. He walked up and stood in front of Desmond, both of them staring at each other. I was taken by surprise when Desmond wasn't treating Cain with any respect, even though he was weaker than him. Cain was even Desmond's creator, and yet he acted as though he was his worst enemy.

Cain smiled and said, "Happy Birthday, Desmond. And don't worry; I wouldn't think of taking Grace away from you on your birthday." His gaze turned to my hiding form behind Desmond's arm. "I'll save that for a better time; sometime in the near future. Until then, I shall leave you alone to enjoy the rest of your night." He took another glance to Desmond, and then back to me, smiling. "And I can't wait to see you in the flesh again, my princess." He did a low bow before walking off. Desmond never let his eyes leave Lucifer's son, a warning look on his face while he stood in front of me in a protective stance. Why was he not bowing down to Cain, I didn't know.

Desmond turned to me and somehow detached my hold on his arm. I strived not to cry, and found the will to succeed. I felt his hand cup my cheek and pull my head up to look at him. I opened my eyes, tears begging to be released. He stared into my eyes, his immediately making me feel better. They were warm, but a little worried.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low tone. I nodded my head while his hand remained on my cheek, keeping it cool. His blood had turned cold in a matter of moments. Whenever he was angry or annoyed, his blood was cold. And it was the same whenever he was thirsty. But when he had "eaten" or he was being kind or sincere, it was warm.

"I'm sorry," he murmured in a guilty voice.


	15. A Close Call

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**Chapter 15**

A Close Call

Desmond had surprised me when he had apologized to me. It wasn't every day that you heard such sincere words from the cruel and cold hearted vampire. As soon as he had said those words, the tears had come. I had a feeling that my crying had something to do with his sudden kindness. Tears were refusing to stop as he wiped them away, trying to keep my make-up from smearing.

The rose that Cain had given me was still in my hand, its thorns pinching my skin, ready to prick me at any moment. Looking down, Desmond noticed the black rose and curiously lifted his hand to reach for it. I was still too disoriented to notice his actions as he took the rose from my hand and stared at it in his. Holding it in his hands, he stared at it for a moment with a blank expression, but that was soon replaced by pure rage.

Growling and snarling with his fangs showing, he threw the rose onto the ground carelessly, as though it were a foul thing. I was thrown out of my reverie when I am pushed back against the concrete wall of the castle, Desmond snarling in my face.

"Do you have any idea how foolish you are?! Do you want to die?! If you continue to wander away from me, you're going to die. To become Cain's bride, you must become immortal. You're going to die no matter what, but at least I could keep you alive for at least a little longer." All of his words struck me like a spear to the heart. He talked as though he were talking to himself more than me. This wasn't good; his rage was getting the better of him. And he was the one blaming me for wandering off when he was the one who had left me with Bryce.

I couldn't help but stare with shocked and wide eyes, unable to speak from his sudden outburst. My mind told me to run, move, do anything, but my body refused to budge. A low growl formed from Desmond's chest, trying with all his might to contain his anger. I was in a dangerous position.

"Desmond—I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice came from behind him. Twisting his head slightly, Desmond shot the person a glare as they walked from the shadows. I sighed in relief when Reyes, Desmond's father, appeared from the shadows. Scowling, Desmond pushed himself away from me, finally putting some space between us. His glare stayed on his father for a moment, and then turned to me, making me freeze.

His eyes were so dark; they had changed so suddenly from such a light color to an almost black color. When he saw the frightened look on my face, his features warmed a bit. His snarling face turned into a frown, and he composed himself into something more human. He turned away from me while stuffing his hands in his pockets, his face suddenly looking glum.

"Watch her for me," he murmured as he passed his father.

Reyes was motionless, looking more composed than the younger vampire. "And where do you plan on going?" Reyes asked before Desmond could walk far.

He stopped walking and took a glance to his father figure, refusing to even glance at me. "I need a walk," he replied in a shameful tone before disappearing into the shadows. I stood there, unable to speak. Desmond had been so furious that the look in his eyes was deadly. Would he have really killed me? Was his anger that strong over his body?

"I apologize for Desmond's behavior. It's not easy for him to express his feelings," Reyes spoke while he walked up to me. I was stuck to the wall as though I were glued to it. Reyes's pale complexion was glowing from the moon's light, giving him a mysterious look. When he stood in front of me, he reached his hand out to touch my shoulder. As soon as his cold hand touched my skin, I jolted away in fright. His hand fell to his side, his eyes turning soft at my frightened form. It wasn't that I was frightened of him, but rather the sudden anger that had taken over Desmond.

"I will not harm you, child. Desmond asked me to watch over you, and that is what I am going to do," he said in a soft tone, immediately slowing down my jittery and terrified mood. Holding his hand out, he waited for me to take it. I stared at it with a blank expression, looking to his face, and then back to his hand a couple of time. Hesitantly, I put my hand in his. By now I was used to the cold feeling of skin.

With a space between us, he led me back into the ballroom of bloodsuckers. I had a feeling they were all waiting for me to return by myself, but to their dismay, I appeared with Desmond's "father". Leading me to the middle of the ballroom, he rested a hand on my hip, catching me completely off guard.

"Slow down. The faster your blood runs, the more tempting it is for us to fight our vampire and animal instincts," Reyes warned. I looked to him in horror, feeling more panicked than before. He must not have realized what effect his words would have on me.

He quickly tried to redeem himself. "I'm just warning you, Grace. You need not worry about that at the moment. You'll be fine as long as you are with those of us who are stronger than others. Just move with me and let everything go," he said in a quiet voice, and then began to move, forcing me to move with him. I struggled to act as inconspicuous as possible by putting my hand on his shoulder as we began to dance. I did as he said and tried to let everything go; all my worries, troubles, and thoughts. Even though I continued to try as we dance, I just couldn't help but realize the grace he had over mine. His was flawless. His movements were sly and graceful. My high heel shoes were the main problem. Also, I had never learned the waltz, which was a bit of a problem. Luckily, I was a quick learner.

Reyes was acting like a great teacher. Even though I continued to mess-up on the steps, he merely smiled as a reaction. Sooner than I thought, I got the steps down and memorized. Now I could let everything go. I looked at Reyes without really staring directly at him. He did the same with a warm look on his face, his eyes a warm blue color. They were unlike Cain's in so many ways. Instead of looking dark and evil, Reyes's were warm and bright. It was a nice change. The feeling of letting go was quickly drifting away as soon as it had come. I could feel something strange about to happen. Almost like a premonition.

Turning my head, I searched for something. I didn't know what it was, but it was almost as though it was calling my name through the crowd. I could feel the world suddenly turn quiet, as though the voice were right beside me, whispering in my ear. The rest of the world was on mute. Reyes noticed my wandering looks and tried to catch my attention, but I couldn't discontinue my search through the crowd. Was it a person calling to me? Was I going crazy?

_Grace..._ a voice whispered from all directions, beckoning me to continue my search. My searching eyes stopped on Reyes when I finally noticed that we were no longer dancing, but standing still. His face was now plain, as though all emotion had been wiped from his face.

I gave him a strange look. "Reyes?" I asked quietly. He didn't reply and continued to stare past me. A cold chill ran down my spine, making me turn a little rigid. This was not good. Goose bumps began to form on my arm from the sudden coldness around me. It felt like ice was caressing my skin. I froze altogether when I felt someone stand behind me. This aura was like Cain's, but somehow different; darker.

"Reyes, my old friend, so good to see you," a liquid voice said in a crafty tone from behind me. I could feel every muscle in my body tense. This voice was sly and perfect, but with a tint of pure evil. To my surprise, Reyes took a step away from me and bowed. With confusion sparking in me and fear refusing to let me turn to see the person behind me, I watched as Reyes showed respect to the man behind me.

"And this must be Grace." He was sounding like he was trying to show all the kindness in the world, but was trying too hard. My whole body chilled into ice when his hand rested on my shoulder, gesturing for me to turn to him. I gave up the fight to go against my body and finally turned my body to stare at the stranger. When my eyes looked up, I stared in complete shock at the sight of the man. His hair was dark blond with some highlights. His face looked like it had been sculpted by a master of art.

But all-in-all, I was terrified of him at first sight. It wasn't that he was scary looking—it was the color of his eyes that scared me. They were the same blue color as Cain's. I took a step back in pure fear. The small smirk on his face only seemed to grow at the small step I took.

"Reyes, you wouldn't be bothered if I borrowed Grace for a dance, would you?" It didn't sound like he was asking. Reyes still remained to say nothing and took a step back with a nod and bow. I tried to take another step back, but my legs didn't move in the right direction. Instead, they move toward the man in front of me, as though I were being controlled. Without my knowing, my hand connected with his while my other moves to his shoulder. He rested his hand on my hip and began to dance with me. I screamed for my body to stop, but it was no use. The only thing I could do was look with wide eyes at the beautiful man and his twisted smile—a smile that was all too familiar.

"You're struggling against me. Why is that? Do you fear me?" he asked in a serene voice that could put any child to sleep with his lullaby. Without trying to lie, I nodded my head. I attempted to move my eyes from him, but his eyes were like magnets—I couldn't break from them. His smirk grew even more from my reply.

"I do not blame you; most do fear me," he said while he twirled me. His movements were just as graceful as Reyes, if not more. This time my movements were controlled, making me look as graceful as ever. What was this guy?

"My son was accurate about you." I wasn't sure if that was a comment. For some reason, I had a very bad feeling about this.

"Y-your son?" I stuttered, afraid to know the answer. I had a good guess by both the looks and evil aura.

He smirked again. "Yes, Cain," he replied casually, but sounding very proud. It suddenly hit me as to why Reyes was so courteous to this man. No, he wasn't a man—he was a fallen angel. I knew which fallen angel.

"Yes, I am Cain's father. You may call me Lucifer, as most do," he said silkily. If I wasn't under his control, I would have iced up right on the spot. From the smirk on his face I knew that he was controlling my body. The only thing I could do at the moment was stare at him with an incredulous look. I could see from the corner of my eyes the shocked and worried looks of the Cervantes family. Selene's mouth was ajar as the devil and I twirled around the dance floor. Reyes's eyes were looking ashamed, probably feeling guilty that he had failed to do as Desmond had asked of him.

"Take a walk with me," Lucifer said, grabbing my waist and pulling me along with him. All eyes watched us as we walked past the night creatures, acting as though we didn't mind it—well, he obviously didn't. My feet moved without my permission, moving in sync with his steps. I screamed for Desmond in my head, wishing he could hear me.

Lucifer chuckled from beside me. "Attached yourself to the young vampire, have you?" he mocked as he led me out the glass doors of the ballroom and back out into the cold night. My head turned to him—the only thing on my body that seemed to be under my command.

"I wouldn't get too fond of to Desmond if I were you," he continued as he led me through the garden with the brick path. I searched for something to say, but nothing came. His hold around my waist was lose, which was something I was thankful for. The brick path led us through the large garden and ended at an archway. We now stood at a large field; behind it a large and dark forest. It reminded me of what the _Forbidden Forest_ from _Harry Potter_ would look like. It even had the foggy and misty feature to add to it. Lucifer turned to me and forced me to look at him instead of the misty and dark forest.

"Grace, I know that you have not found your specialty. It's not every day that a unique human—such as you—is created. This is why I believe you are perfect for Cain in many ways. You both have powers that bedazzle even me. Do not waste your time on a lowly vampire." A shiver ran down my spine, his cold hand reaching up and touching my cheek, trying to be sensitive. I knew better. I surprised myself when I was able to jerk my head away from his hand, my glare as furious as ever.

"I'll be the judge of who I think is lowly," I growled. My hands clenched into tight fists while fury engulfed me. Lucifer really was good at making people angry. I became angrier when he began to chuckle dark and mockingly. He was just as cruel as Cain in every aspect.

"Ah, Grace, this is why I am confident you're going to be an ideal mate for Cain. Such defiance and spirit—they are always the most pleasurable to watch crumble," he said through chuckles. I took another step back, surprised at how alike Desmond's words had been when he had told me the truth.

"I am not so easily broken." I took a breath to slow myself down, but only anger seemed to be on my mind. He may be the devil, but he could do nothing too serious to me since I was still alive, and he didn't want me dead now.

"You are a clever girl," he commented while he began to circle me. I tried to follow him without moving my head, but my eyes couldn't handle it. "But let's see how confident you are when put to the test," he said before smoke surrounded him, and he vanished before my eyes. I shivered, his chuckle echoing all around me—one even darker than his son's.

_I better get back to the party before I get in even more trouble._ I thought to myself, beginning to be freaked by the scary atmosphere the forest was giving off. I turned to run back on the brick road, but stopped and stared in horror; it was suddenly gone. Everything was gone. The garden, the brick trail, everything was gone. The only thing there was now was the misty field—as though the garden and castle had been a mirage.

"W-what?" I stammered, stunned that this could possibly happen. What was I going to do now? I glanced behind me to the dark forest, feeling stupid for ever falling under the power of Lucifer, not that I had a choice. He was truly powerful. They weren't lying when they said Lucifer was as evil as they came. This was a trick of his—a test. My heartbeat was thumping so fast in my chest, it was beginning to hurt. This night just kept getting weirder and weirder. Taking a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts.

What could I do now?

Walking into the dark and creepy forest was not a good option, so I cut that one out of my thoughts. The field was looking as though it went on for miles, so that was out of the question. When you're lost, I learned the best way to be found was to stay where you were and yell and hope someone found you. Being trapped in a different world was beginning to really get on my nerves.

Screaming meant that it would draw other creatures to me. I sighed, crossing my fingers that Desmond would be the first one to find me. Taking a deep inhale of breath, a readied myself.

"DESMOND!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. My voice echoed forever in the misty night. I listened without breathing, waiting for some sort of noise other than the wind blowing across the grass field and the moving of the tree branches. I stared nervously. I had gotten the attention of something; I could hear them making a crunching noise in the woods. My heart began to beat faster, a dark shadow forming from the dark forest, not looking like a person at all, but a gigantic dog. I stared in horror as it snarled in a low tone, walking on all fours with a sly-like step. I bit on my lip to not make any sound.

This was my biggest mistake!

This wolf looked just like the ones I had seen running across the yards back at Desmond's. It looked even larger up close. It was larger than a big horse. Its hair was dark brown with some black spots. My breathing quickened as it snarled, saliva dripping from its mouth while it walked closer to me, and then circled around my terrified form.

I put a hand over my mouth to silence my screams when another one formed from the woods, looking just as frightening as the other. The second was a bit smaller, but not by much. The bigger one looked straight at me with dark eyes, glaring at me. I tried to swallow, but found it impossible to even move. The second wolf glanced to the larger and barked once, as though they were communicating.

I jumped a foot when the biggest lifted its head and let out a loud howl. I covered my ears from the loud howling. The other joined and pointed his head into the air. Their voices filled the cool air, echoing even longer than my voice had. Their heads lowered after a long howl without stopping. When their heads lower, their eyes returned to me. Was this it? Was I really going to be dog food?

The smaller wolf snarled, lowering a bit as though ready to pounce on me. I couldn't cry anymore. Fear had taken over me completely. I stared with wide eyes as the smaller wolf growled loudly. Without a second thought able to pass through my mine, it jumped at me, launching itself with great speed. With the little bit of time of had, I let out a scream of fear with shut eyes, knowing that this was going to hurt. I grunted as it collided with me, but it felt like it should have been more painful. I coughed, falling onto the ground and landing hard. I kept my eyes closed, afraid that there was still more pain to come, but none did.

Confused, I lifted my head up to see no wolf in front of me, ready to snap my head off. I gasped as Desmond stood over me, acting as a protection shield. He was growling at the two large wolves that were facing him, snarling louder than he. I stared in complete shock at the scene in front of me. Desmond's hands were stretching out, giving the wolves a hint that he was protecting me, and that there was no way he was going to let them touch me. I couldn't move from my spot on the ground. The wolves growled for a few more minutes, waiting for Desmond to give up the staring contest, but he didn't budge and continued to snarl.

The wolves glanced to each other after a moment of snarling at Desmond and changed their posture from a ready to strike stance to a normal one. Desmond dropped his arms to his sides when the wolves began to turn away and walk back to the forest, eventually disappearing into the dark trees. The surprise didn't lift from my face when Desmond turned to me, a concerned look on his face. He walked over to me and bent down on one knee next to my body.

"Are you alright?" he asked in his tranquil voice. Disoriented, the only thing I could do was gaze at his perfect face. Even in the dark it shined. Without knowing it, tears were running down my face. He lifted his hand and wiped them away with his slender finger. He stood to his feet while grabbing my hand and lifted me up without trying. My legs were shaking. Actually, everything on my body was shaking. My lips were even trembling.

He cursed, "That bastard. How dare he do this to you?" His voice wasn't very angry, but more annoyed than anything. I wanted to speak, but nothing came. This was possibly the hardest night I had had in this world. And here Desmond was supposed to be having his birthday, but instead of enjoying it, he was saving me all night.

"Come on—let's get back," he murmured in soft tone, trying to slow me down. I nodded my head while I tried to remember how to breathe normally. Instead of letting me walk, Desmond lifted me up and carried me back in his arms. His walk was at the speed of a jog. I clutched onto the hem of his jacket, not caring of the cold. As long as Desmond was with me, I was out of harm's way for the moment.

We made it back to the castle before I knew it. I probably fell asleep in Desmond's arms on the way. All the others on the dance floor stared at us curiously while Desmond carried me through the large ballroom and to his family who were looking very nervous. They were talking amongst themselves. Selene was the yelling the loudest amongst them.

"Desmond! Grace!" she shouted when he notices Desmond walking with me over to them. Reyes's eyes look humiliated when they saw me in Desmond's arms. I got a few scratches from being pushed to the ground, and my dress had a few grass stains. That's what I got for wearing a white dress.

"What happened?" Lucas asked, walking up to us. I stared plainly at Desmond's tie, just wishing to return to sleep. This night had turned into a disaster. I could feel Desmond shake his head to his brother and the rest of his family. He probably didn't want to explain in front of me. They also didn't know about his connections with the devil and Cain. That could be part of it.

"Grace, are you all right?" Reyes asked when he walked to stand in front of Desmond. Dazed, I nodded my head, the only reply I could muster. From the looks of it, he didn't believe me and shook his head a little. Celeste walked over from the group she was talking to and practically ran over to us.

"Goodness! What happened?" she asked in an exasperated voice, her expression worried. Why did they care? I was just a human—their food.

Darien broke off from the girl he had been dancing with to walk next to his mother. "Is she alright? She looks pretty beat," he said. I tried to take it as a compliment. I could be looking much worse than this at a time such as this one.

"She's fine—she's just in shock," Desmond replied simply. All of his family gave him a strange look. I ignored them and paid more attention to the plain color of Desmond's jacket.

Selene shook her head from side to side. "She doesn't look good, Desmond. Maybe you should take her home," she suggested with a timid expression. Again, Desmond shook his head. I felt as though I couldn't make my own decisions tonight. Everyone was judging me by how I was looking, not how I was actually feeling.

"We can't take her back to the house yet," Desmond said, standing his ground on his decision.

Selene got irritated and put her hands on her hips with a raised eyebrow. "And why is that?" she asked in a snotty tone with a frown on her face, thinking that Desmond couldn't come up with a good enough excuse to keep me in this dang ballroom. To everyone's surprise, he smirked one of his twisted smiles and glanced down to me in his arms.

"I still haven't had a dance with Grace."

My heart stopped. I tensed in Desmond's arms in complete astonishment. Even his family was staring at him with wide eyes. He sat my feet on the ground, but kept his hold around my waist.

"Um...I don't think I can dance," I lied quickly, knowing that I would mess-up in front of Desmond. It would be even more embarrassing if it happened in front of everyone. I frowned when he shook his head.

"No excuses. It's my birthday, and this is what I want from you. Unless you would rather make it up to me later on tonight," he said with a smirk.


	16. The Night's End

**Again, you guys are awesome! Thank you all for the comments! Keep them up! **

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**Chapter 16**

The Night's End

It's hard to deny a vampire such as Desmond when he's so much stronger. Before I could utter another word, he had pulled me to him and rested a hand on my waist and connected the other one in mine. I felt like I was going to die from a heart attack.

"Grace, relax," he said in his serene voice as the music started again. I watched in horror as all the other dancers stopped dancing and moved to the side so that only Desmond and I were the ones dancing on the floor now.

"W-what are they doing?" I stuttered, unable to speak while he had both hands on me while he gave a tiny and attractive grin. After glancing around the other creatures, hoping that they would continue to dance so that we could disappear in the crowd, my eyesight turned back to Desmond. We weren't moving to the music, just standing on the dance floor. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure it was going to burst at any second. Why did I always have to panic? Well, because that's who I am—a panicky type of person.

I let out a tiny gasp when Desmond brought me even closer, even though we had the whole ballroom dance floor to ourselves. I could see from the corner of my eye that all of his family was smirking at us, that is, except for Aurelia. She was still being surrounded by attractive vampires who were all trying to get her attention at one time. Without my knowing, Desmond began to move me with him as the dance started. I tripped over his foot, finally realizing that I was dancing. Well—sort of.

He chuckled, holding me tighter to keep me from falling. "Your name doesn't fit you," he said with amusement, knowing that I was going to retort to his comment. I fought not to send him a glare, and succeeded. I also fought the urge to say something rude, but surprised myself by sighing instead. I'm not the only one astounded by my actions.

"No upset reply? And I thought I knew you," Desmond declared with slight revelation hidden in his voice. I continued to look at the other vampires and other creatures as we danced across the floor, twirling and gliding. I was finding it hard to look at him when trying to tell the truth.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm trying to be nice. It is your birthday, after all. This is your party. I would hate to ruin it more than I already have." I finished in a low tone, realizing how much trouble I had been all night. I had made him mad by being found with Cain. He was furious to see me alone with Cain in the garden. Not only did I ruin his night by being seen with his maker, but I also had to depend on him to find me in the woods, surrounded by gigantic wolves. Once again, he had saved me.

"Why would you say something like that?" he asked with confusion visible in his voice. My eyes tipped up from the feet I was staring at and looked into his eyes. My heart fluttered faster at the sight of his perfect eyes. Again, I shrugged, finding it the only thing to do as a response. This was not like Desmond. He was not the type to be sympathetic or kind toward humans. Heck, he drank blood from them to keep alive. He blinked, waiting for me to say something. I felt us twist around on the dance floor while the orchestra continued to play.

"I guess—it's just that I've been such a nuisance tonight. You've had to leave your party a couple of times. And for what? To save me," I uttered, my eyes returning to our moving feet. My eyes widen when I felt his finger slide under my chin, slowly lifting my head up. Finally, my eyes connected with his, sending shivers through my body. It felt like time was slowing down.

"I would rather be saving you than being at this party," he said in such a soft tone that it didn't sound like Desmond at all. I couldn't breathe while the words tried to settle into reality. The world finally stopped and froze when our eyes don't break apart from each other.

"Of course, it's all part of the job," he added, breaking the gaze and released the hold on my chin. My mouth dropped open in disbelief. After all those kind words, he had to ruin the moment and say something like that. My face scrunched while I closed my mouth and felt my lips curve into a frown. My next move caused everyone to gasp.

I slapped Desmond across the face.

All was silent for a moment while his head stayed to the side, his eyes hiding behind his bangs. Even the orchestra had stopped. I went to take a step back, but was unable to do so because of the hold around my waist. It wasn't until now did I realize that I had made a big mistake.

"I-I-" I tried to speak, but found it nearly impossible to utter a word. I could now hear whispers from the watching crowd as they gasped and shook their heads as though I had just slapped the Queen of England. I again attempted to escape Desmond's hold, but he refused to release me while his eyes remained hidden. I knew that they were probably red by this point.

Everyone was practically standing on their heels when he lifted his head. I stared at him in puzzlement when I saw him smirking. His eyes were still a light caramel color, much to my surprise. With his elegant hand, he reached to his still white cheek and touched it, as though it were red like any other human's cheek after being slapped.

"Okay," he began, "I deserved that one." Everyone who had been whispering seemed to whisper even louder, making the room seem very loud.

"I'm sorry?" I inquired, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. Once again, he had taken me by surprise with his words.

His eyes rolled, taking his hand away from his cheek. "Don't make me repeat it," he said with a sigh. I shook my head to make sure I wasn't dreaming again. He smirked again, watching the confusion and other emotions rush across my face in seconds. He turned to all the staring spectators with a small smile on his face, making sure to keep an arm around my waist to keep me from tripping over myself while I debated with my mind about the whole situation.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. It has been a pleasure seeing you all. Unfortunately, this young lady and I must be getting back home. Please, stay as long as you wish," he shouted, his voice echoing in the large ballroom.

"Not so fast!" Selene, Desmond's sister, yelled as she made her way through the tight crowd and into the large and empty gap to reveal herself. Both Desmond and I stared at her with lost looks while she gave a mischievous look while resting her hands on her hips.

"You are still forgetting one thing," she said, her voice echoing just as loud as Desmond's. The smile that was on his face fell into a small frown.

"And what would that be?" he dared to ask his smirking sister. Her smile grew at his question. Everyone remained quiet while they waited for Selene to say the words.

"You actually forgot two things. First, we haven't had the chance to sing _Happy Birthday_."

Desmond's frown turned glummer and glummer at each word. "We're leaving," he said in a low tone so that only I could hear the dread in his voice. Selene caught on quickly when he grabbed the upper part of my arm and readied himself to run.

"I don't think so, Desmond! Now!" she shouted. Within a blink of an eye Darien and Lucas hade their hands on Desmond's upper arms, making sure that there was no way of escape for him. I knew Desmond wouldn't dare harm his brothers or sisters. I turned my head to see Celeste, Desmond's mother, grabbing my arm to make sure I didn't try to assist Desmond in any way. By this time Selene was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"Excellent! Now, you and Grace are not moving until we sing _Happy Birthday_ and let you open at least one present." It seemed that Desmond had no choice, seeing as this was his party/ball, much to his dismay. Everyone in the room was smirking, except for Desmond and me. I could see Dawn and Ivan chuckle as they watched the scene play out before them. Selene lifted her hands in the air to silence everyone before opening her mouth and began to sing.

"Happy Birthday to you," all voices echoed in the large ballroom as they started to sing. Lucas and Darien laughed while they sang while Desmond growled and sent them dark looks. They made him madder when they leaned into him and began to rock back and forth, looking like drunkards. I couldn't hold back a chuckle; Desmond looked so miserable while being rocked from side to side, his brothers throwing their arms around his shoulders and throwing their arms out as though they were toasting.

"Happy Birthday toooo yoooooou," The song ended with claps and loud whistles.

Celeste pulled me closer to her and bent her head to me to speak to me over the loud crowd. "Grace, I would like to thank you. Despite the look on his face right now, I know that Desmond is very happy. In fact, I haven't seen him this happy in a very long time. What you've done for him is more than you'll ever know," she said, speaking loud enough for me to hear over the crowd. My cheeks turned warm with embarrassment. I nodded my head and mouthed _You're welcome. _She didn't know why Desmond kept me with him, and it was probably best that way. It would break their hearts if they knew the truth.

"Now you get to open a present! It's from all of us," Selene said, skipping over to Desmond and her brothers with a box in her hands. It wasn't a large box, but still a fair size. Darien and Lucas finally released him so that he could open the present. With a single tug, he pulled off the wrapping paper. Everyone remained silent while they wait for what was in the box.

He lifted out a small, red plastic wrapped daily calendar. I got one last Christmas, so I knew what size they were. A smile traveled across his face when he read the title on the front of the calendar. I tensed when his gaze turned to me. I lifted an eyebrow when he motioned for me with his hand to come over to him. I did so, making sure to bring Celeste along with me.

"Look at the wonderful present. What do you think? Useful? I think so," he asked, handing me the day calendar. I took it and read the title. I coughed at the black lettering written on the front. Lucas and Darien snickered at my reaction.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said after settling my coughing. My muscles tensed, feeling Desmond's arm wrap around me and bringing me closer.

"What? You don't like it?" he asked with amusement, already knowing the answer.

I sent him a glare. "No offence, but _Sex, Every Day In Every Way—Position For Every Day Of The Year_ kind of rubs me the wrong way." Lucas, Darien, and Selene laughed louder when I spoke out the title's name so that everyone could hear. I could already tell that they were the ones who had bought this for Desmond. Parents usually didn't get their kids such profound presents. Again, Desmond chuckled and grabbed it from my hands, putting it back in the box.

"Thanks guys; it's just what we needed," he said, sending a glance down to me when he said _we_. I turned my gaze away from him and to the floor before I showed the embarrassment in my eyes. For the third time, I mentally thanked Dawn for putting so much make-up on that it covered my red cheeks.

"There's still more," Celeste said, grabbing Reyes's arm and walked him over to the rest of the family. For some reason, they didn't ask for Aurelia to join the family. I glanced to her on the other side of the ballroom. She was still talking to other attractive vampires, as though it didn't matter to her that it was her brother's birthday. It burned me up inside that she was so self-centered. Desmond followed my line of sight and caught on to what I was thinking.

"Don't worry; she's always like this when she's at parties. I've gotten used to it over the years," he said while the other members of his family searched through the box for the other present. I shook my head, not believing a word of it. I had never had any siblings. If I would have had any, I would force them to be part of the family, even if they needed the attention of others at the moment. Fury getting the best of me, I forced myself out of Desmond's hold and marched over to the giggling and gorgeous vampire.

Most eyes in the room watched me as I crossed the marble floor with a defiant look on my face. Aurelia continued to act like I wasn't even there, even though the male vampires that surrounded her had turned their gaze to me. Finally—when I stopped less than three feet in front of her—she turned her gaze to me. As swiftly as I could, I grabbed a hold of her wrist and tugged her away from the surrounding vampires. She almost lost her balance in her high heels, but caught herself like any other vampire would.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" she demanded with pure disgust, glaring at me. I made sure to keep a tight hold on her wrist so that she couldn't escape, and if she did, I would go swinging with her arm.

I returned the glare with the same fierceness, if not more. "I'm doing what I think is right. You haven't spoken a single word to your brother all night, and it's his birthday. He may act like it doesn't bother him, but I know otherwise." I could feel all eyes on me. My voice was now the only voice echoing in the large ballroom. She tried to pull her wrist away, but my hold tightened, refusing to release her.

"Now go be part of your family. You owe it to them and especially Desmond tonight." She stopped struggling, her brown eyes glancing behind me and to the rest of the Cervantes family. I released the hold on her wrist and waited for her to walk away, or walk past me to her family. She looked from me to her family a couple of times before making up her mind.

She turned around and returned to the crowd of vampires. I frowned and let my head drop while shaking my head. It didn't make sense to me why someone didn't want to be part of their family. It was now my one true wish that I could be with mine once more, but I knew that now that was not an option.

My eyes lifted once more, hearing high heeled shoes walk across the marbled floor. Aurelia appeared once more out of the crowd, this time holding a small present in her hands. I couldn't help but give a tiny smile. She walked up to me and glanced down to me. She was at least half a foot taller than I was. Our eyes connected for a moment before she continued onto her family. With her long gait, she stopped and stood in front of her family in seconds. Without a word, she walked to Desmond and held out her present.

"It's not much," she said in her elegant voice when Desmond took it from her. The rest of the Cervantes watched with tiny smirks on their lips as Desmond grabbed her hand and brought her into an embrace. For a moment, I felt a twinge of jealousy, but let it slide when the hug was short. Selene skipped over to me and grabbed my arm and tugged me back to the family. It felt strange to be the center of attention while at least 200 vampires and other creatures watched us. Desmond slowly opened the present, unlike the other one, acting like he was savoring the moment of being with his sister and having a present from her. Slowly, he lifted the lid of the box. For a moment, all was silent while everyone waits for his reaction.

"Wow..." he whispered. He lifted the object out of the box and revealed to everyone. It had to be one of the fanciest watches I had ever seen. It had so many features on it that I couldn't count them.

"Let's see here...tourbillion, power reserve, striking-mechanism torque, moon phase, perpetual calendar, sunrise time, leap-year indicator, sunset time, sky chart and some others that I don't even know. Dang, how much did this thing cost you?" Desmond asked, still unable to take his eyes off the beautiful watch. Aurelia lifted up her finger to her lips and pretended to seal her lips. I felt like I had done something right.

"And you can't forget your last present!" Selene exclaimed, grabbing the box from Celeste and bounced over in front of her brother.

Putting his hand in the box, he lifted out a wine bottle. "Excellent," he said with slight excitement. He turned his head to me. "Don't even think about laying a finger on this," he warned. I glowered as a reply, crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance while scoffing.

"Why can't she share it with you? We got it so that you both could share it," Lucas said with confusion, looking between Desmond and me. The rest of them waited for Desmond's reply.

"The last time she got a hold of alcohol that was expensive; she drank the whole thing in less than an hour. I had to take care of her the rest of the night because she passed out." Lucas and Darien exchanged lost looks again. I lifted an eyebrow at them when their lost looks turned into mischievous ones.

"What's the matter, Desmond? Usually you'd be getting a girl drunk to take advantage of her," Lucas began with an evil smirk. I could feel the room turn darker as Desmond glared at his brother.

"Yeah, Desmond; are you having a change of heart? Man, Grace, he must really like you." Darien chimed along with the play. Desmond took a step toward his brothers.

"Whoa there, boys," Selene said, jumping in between them. "Let's not ruin the night by fighting."

"I agree," Celeste went along with Selene, still staying by Reyes's side. Sighing, Desmond slowed down and returned to stand next to me. He grumbled a few words under his breath before handing me the wine bottle. I blinked a few times, looking at the wine bottle with confusion. I read the bottle and let out a gasp of disbelief.

_"Da Sliva's Vintage Port 1865_?! That's so old!" I exclaimed, and my voice echoed throughout the ballroom once again. They all stared at me as though I had just spoken a different language.

"Your point? That's really not that old," Darien joked, crossing his arms over his chest.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course **you **don't think it's that old. You're a vampire. But to a human, it's old," I explained. They didn't think that over 100 year old wine was old enough. Aurelia whispered in Desmond's ear before walking away and returning to the awaiting vampire boys on the other side of the room.

I looked up to him, wondering what she had said to her brother. "What did she say to you?" I was practically sounding like I was begging for him to tell me.

He looked down to me and lifted an eyebrow. "Happy Birthday. Why?"

It was my turn to lift an eyebrow at him. "She couldn't say it aloud?" I asked.

Desmond smirked. "To tell the truth, this is quite a change for Aurelia. What you said to her really changed her in a matter of seconds." I decided to take that as a compliment. Desmond had never really given me a straight thank you. But, then again, he was always the one who was saving me, so I was usually saying thank you. I stared at him for a moment longer before letting my vision wander to the rest of the ballroom. To my surprise, most of the vampires had already left.

Desmond glanced to his new watch and shook his head and said, "Looks like we don't have much time before the sun rises. We better get going." He was hinting that he didn't want them to be stuck in the castle because of the sun, which was undoubtedly Cain's or Lucifer's.

Celeste nodded her head and said, "All right. Well, Happy Birthday." Then she brought her adopted son into an embrace before letting the rest of the family do the same. She turned to me and reached for my hand. When I gave her my hand, she rested it on the palm of her hand, resting the other on top of mine.

"I want to thank you, Grace. I know I said it only a little while ago, but I just want you to know how much you've done for our family. Never have I seen a human do such a risky thing as to stand up to a vampire, and a hot-headed one like Aurelia, no less. For one night, you've brought us all together. If it wasn't for you, this party would not have been the same," she spoke in sincere voice.

I smirked. "I can't argue with you on that last comment," I said with a sheepish smile.

She slapped the top of my hand playfully. She knew what I was trying to say. "Goodnight, child," she said before turning around to return to Reyes. He nodded his head to me when I caught his gaze. I smiled and waved, watching them walk up the stairs, Darien and Lucas pushing each other at each step. I smirked at their goofiness. I felt arms wrap around me from behind, and tensed. I looked down and noticed that they were not Desmond's, but feminine.

"Goodbye, Grace. I hope that we'll meet again soon," Selene said, releasing her hold around my waist and ran to catch up to the rest of her family, which only took a couple of seconds. Within a blink of an eye, she was out of sight. Looking around the large ballroom and empty ballroom made me realize how much larger it really was.

"Well, that was quite a party. I don't know about you guys, but we're ready to hit the sack," a familiar voice came from behind me. I turned around and smiled, happy to see the blonde and red-head. Both Ivan and Dawn were looking like they were about to pass out on the floor. Dawn's arm was slung around Ivan so that she didn't fall to the floor.

"Jeeze, what happened to her? She looks like hell," Desmond commented, or in laymen's terms, insulted the tired looking Dawn.

Instead of getting angry and yelling at Desmond, Ivan laughed. "You wouldn't believe it, but that punch was stronger than we first thought. I think that's why we're both a little on the tired side. Let's get to the limo and get out of here...I'm about ready to pass out." Ivan's speech was a bit slurred, but understandable enough that we got his drift.

I blinked, suddenly feeling very tired. I yawned, unable to hide how tired I was. I yelped, feeling two arms lift me and begin to carry me. "This isn't necessary," I complained, even though being in his arms was very comfortable and warm. Desmond didn't reply, but shook his head as he carried me up the stairs. Ivan did the same for Dawn. She wasn't looking very good compared to Ivan.

_She must have drunk a lot._ I concluded, clutching tighter to Desmond.

The limousine was waiting for us when we made it outside. The sun was only moments away from rising. Ivan climbed into the car first with Dawn before Desmond slid me into the limo. He climbed in next to me and closed the door before the car took off at a quick speed. I tiredly glanced to Ivan and Dawn. She was sitting in his lap, talking inaudible things to him, looking very drunk as she hung all over him.

"Are they married?" I asked, noticing rings on their fingers. I heard Desmond sigh beside me.

"Isn't it obvious? Like I said, they've been together before death. What I meant was that they were married before death," he explained.

"Oh—that's nice," I murmured, leaning my head to the closest thing, which was Desmond's shoulder. I felt his muscles tense at how close I was. I didn't care at the moment. My head felt like it was about to burst. In fact, my whole body felt like it was going to fall apart. I let out a tiny moan of pain, which was enough to make Desmond twitch uncomfortably. I didn't understand why, but didn't care anymore. Sleep caught hold of me quickly, but not before I felt a warm arm wrap around me and bring me closer to the body.


	17. Under the Weather

**Hey everyone! Have a Happy Halloween!**

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**Chapter 17**

Under the Weather

It only took half of the drive back to Desmond's before I started to feel like death was upon me. With every part of my being, I fought to hide the ugliness I was feeling on the inside. I could feel every inch of my body begin to burn and ache. I was sure Desmond was tense because he could sense my temperature rise, but didn't say anything so not to upset me. Though, none of his comments could bother me at this time.

I could hear Dawn and Ivan whisper to each other on the other seat, or at least it sounded like whispers. I breathed in deeply, feeling dizzy. I hated the feeling of being dizzy; I felt like I was rocking on a boat stuck in a storm.

Another giggle erupted from Dawn. Tears blinded me when I went to take a peek at what they were doing. I cringed and closed my eyes when the whole world began to move even more erratically when I had my eyes open. The speed of the limo was making me feel like I was on a very long rollercoaster ride. I liked roller coasters, but not this one. The limousine felt like it was turning topsy-turvy while going a hundred miles an hour. Dawn's giggles died down after a moment. She was way too drunk not to laugh like a ditz.

"Desmond, is she ok?" I heard her ask. I wanted to answer her, but found no voice. I didn't want to open my eyes, fearing that I would see stars or feel even dizzier. Desmond pulled me away a bit. I shivered when something cold touched my forehead. It felt nice. Desmond sighed loudly, and then released the cold compress on my forehead. I groaned in disappointment.

"She's burning up," Desmond murmured with a sigh. I tensed, feeling an arm surround me and bring me toward him. His cold body pressed against my burning body, sending shivers through me. I didn't know if it was shivers of pleasure or cold. I groaned, unable to hide the pain coursing through my body. My body was being bashed so suddenly; it caught me completely off guard. I didn't understand it. How could it be that I was getting sick so quickly?

"What is it? Is it the flu?" Ivan asked in a concerned voice. I felt Desmond shrug his shoulders. I couldn't remember the last time I was sick. In truth, I was a healthy girl. I always got my shots to make sure I stood clear of this kind of problem. I could remember getting a cold every once and a while, but this felt nothing like a cold. I couldn't remember what I flu felt like. If this was how it felt to be truly sick, I hated it.

"What do we need to do?" Dawn asked in the same tone Ivan had asked. Again, Desmond didn't answer with words, but shrugged. In pain, I clutched onto the hem of Desmond's jacket, wishing that this pain and aching would subside. I felt like crying.

By the time anyone was speaking again, the limo had stopped. Even though we had now arrived at Desmond's, no one was speaking. I could barely stand the tense silence. I could feel all eyes on me, just wondering what pain I was going through.

"What do we need to do?" Dawn asked for a second time. For a moment Desmond said nothing nor moved any part of his body. I squeezed my eyes tighter as his cold hand brushed atop my forehead another time.

"I don't know," he finally admitted in a low voice. I could hear the desperation in his voice. He really had no idea what to do, and I could tell that he was a bit nervous about my condition. The door to the limo opened, letting cold air of the night wisp across my burning body. I shivered again when I leaned against Desmond's cold body. It was strange how his body could be cold at times, and warm at others. It was like his body temperature changed and matched with his mood.

"You two should get going," Desmond insisted in a low tone. I couldn't hear any movement from Dawn and Ivan. I didn't dare open my eyes to see, either.

"Are you sure? We could help," Ivan offered, still holding Dawn in his lap. Desmond shook his head. I could feel his eyes on me.

"Thank you, but I'll take care of her. Besides, you need to take care of Dawn. She's a mess as it is."

"Hey!" Dawn shouted in complaint to his comment, making me cringe at the sudden loudness. It hurt my ears to hear anything louder than a whisper.

Dawn took in a deep inhale of air when she noticed the pained look on my face after her screech. "Sorry," she whispered in shame. I tried to shake my head and tell her that it wasn't her fault, but nothing seemed to make my body work.

"He's right; we should get home, Dawn. You may be immortal, but that doesn't mean you don't get to pay for the alcohol you consumed. You're in no condition to stand on your own. Let's go home so I can take care of you," Ivan said, moving Dawn off of him and climbed off the leather seat of the limo. I could hear him help Dawn out of the limo. She laughed when she tripped on her way out of the limo. Ivan must have caught her, because I could hear them kiss, followed by Dawn squealing as he picked her up. I frowned.

How was it that Dawn and Ivan found each other to be so perfect? Was it love at first sight? I was jealous of their love; the way they stared into each other's eyes like there was no one else in the world. Anyone would be jealous of such a true love.

For a moment Desmond and I remained in the limo, just sitting in silence while I rested against his cool body with the door open. His body was tense with confusion, not knowing what to do.

"It's been so long...," he began, but paused, as though he were having trouble speaking. Another sigh escaped his lips and he pulled me away so that he could stand to his feet. I groaned in pain another time when he picked me up and began to carry me. I wrapped my arms around his neck like I child being cared for. For a moment he tensed at my movement, but relaxed and began to walk.

I could feel the cool air of the early morning coming. The sun would soon rise, which meant that Desmond would only have a short time to shut all the blinds and shutters on the windows to prevent from getting burned. He could pretend that the sun didn't bother him, but eventually it would begin to hurt him, even if he was very strong.

I listened to the sound of the door opening and closing as he carried me into the house. Without a second to waste, he carried me up the stairs with such grace that I didn't even realize we were on the second floor until I felt him set me on the bed.

"Grace, I need to...change you into your night clothes," Desmond struggled to find the words. He sounded like he was nervous, almost. I shook that thought away and almost laughed. Desmond? Nervous of taking off my clothes? Funny. I somehow found the power to nod my head without inflicting pain. His cool hand touched my waist to help me to my feet. My eyes were still closed, so I couldn't see what his look was.

"Umm...," he murmured, obviously confused about something. I took a deep breath and forced my eyes to open a bit—just enough to see him. I exhaled when the world was no longer moving like a rollercoaster. I blinked sleepily at Desmond's expression. He was trying to figure out how to get my dress off of me without hurting me. Usually I would be blushing, but the sickness I felt erased all embarrassing thoughts. All I wanted to do was get better and sleep. I had a feeling it was going to be more difficult than that.

"Can you lift your hands over your head?" he asked in an angelic tone. I struggled for a moment, but accomplished the task. My muscles screamed for me to remain still, but I fought and kept my arms stretched toward the ceiling. I closed my eyes when my sinuses began to ache. I felt cool air across my legs as my dress slowly lifted from the bottom and hacked up. It was taking longer than I thought it would to take to remove a dress. I felt the dress slip over my head, and finally my arms. I shivered from the sudden coolness of the room. I opened my eyes slightly when I heard him set the dress on the bed, but no movement or words after that. He was staring at me with a perplexed expression, as though he were memorizing everything about me.

He noticed me looking at him. "Sorry," he murmured, his eyes quickly turning to the floor. Without looking up from the floor, he walked over to my new closet to grab some night clothes. It felt like he was taking his time. Usually he could do all of this in a blink of an eye. I was glad he wasn't—it would only add to my headache. He walked back over to me with an awkward feeling radiating off of him. He was acting strange.

"What?" I asked in cracking voice. I wanted to say more, but that's all I could conjure.

He finally looked up from the ground to stare at me before returning to the clothes in his hands. "It's nothing. Here—let's put these on and get you into bed," he suggested in an awkward tone. I sort of nodded my head and held my hands above my head once more. He came close to me and pulled the shirt over my head. I could feel his cool temperature radiate off him. His cool breathing was quicker than usual.

I was able to pull on my bedtime shorts by myself, even though my body went against me. I cringed, trying to reach behind me to unclasp my bra. It hurt to reach behind me. I looked over to Desmond as he watched me attempt to remove my bra.

He rolled his eyes when I cringed again, and stood from the couch and walked over to me. "You're going to hurt yourself if you continue. Turn around." It wasn't a request, it was a demand. I did as I told. I shivered when he lifted my shirt up and unclasped my bra. If I wasn't already red from being sick, he would have been able to tell I was blushing.

"Thanks," I mumbled and pulled my strapless bra off and tossed it to the small pile on the floor. Desmond stood next to me and scooped me up into his arms. My heart raced from his actions. With one hand, he pulled back the covers and set me on the bed before throwing the covers over me. I shivered from the coldness of the sheets. I close my eyes, the feeling of my head ready to burst almost unbearable. Desmond sat beside me on the bed, resting his hand on my leg. My heart felt like it was going to explode.

"Can I get you something? Anything that would make you feel better?" He was sounding almost desperate for me to answer him. Automatically I shook my head. I had no clue what would make me feel better. Probably some kind of aspirin or something, but did they have that in this world? Everyone was immortal or powerful enough to heal themselves. I could tell that Desmond was frowning from my answer. I pulled a hand over my forehead and rested it there, feeling the warmth of my forehead. I couldn't tell if I was warm or not. I shut my eyes, wishing that the pain would quickly leave. I didn't know how much longer I could take this aching and just plain ugly feeling. I finally thought of something that I needed desperately.

"Water," I whispered. My voice cracked when I said the word, but Desmond heard it and jumped off the bed without a beat. Within a second, he's gone, as if he were air. When I blinked, he was by my side once more, this time holding a cup in his hand and an aspirin in his other. I slapped myself mentally from forgetting they had drugs here. It was just the other day when Desmond had given me aspirin for my hangover. I sat up as much as I could—which really wasn't very much. I reached out and took the cup. It shook in my hand as I reached for the aspirin and popped it in my mouth before I brought the plastic cup to my lips. I almost coughed when the pill slid down my throat. I hated swallowing pills. Even if they were a small sized, I would somehow find a way to choke on it.

I nodded a thank you to him, not wanting to lose more of my voice. A tiny smirk tugged at the side of his lips before he turned and disappeared within less than a second. I sighed and lay back down on the large bed, closing my eyes, hoping that this would quickly end. I cringed when a wave of pain tensed every muscle in my body. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I took codeine for the first time.

Codeine's a powerful drug that's a painkiller, but if you take it on an empty stomach, you pay dearly. My mother had given it to me one time on an empty stomach to stop a headache I had. For an hour I laid on the floor, writhing in pain. It felt like I was getting punched in the stomach over and over again, which meant I could barely breathe. My mother could do nothing but watch until the pain stopped. After the agony passed, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. It was such a relieving feeling. I wonder if that's why it was now illegal in some countries.

I almost shrieked when Desmond appeared at my side, holding a tray in his hands. I gave him a quizzical look, or as much as one I could.

"You need to eat," he told me. I almost gagged at the thought of food. I didn't want any food...or any liquid, for that matter. Desmond rolled his eyes and returned to his spot on the bed, sitting down next to me and setting the tray on my lap.

"Grace, you need to eat something. Your body needs to be fed. I know you haven't eaten in a while, which is probably the cause of your sudden sickness. Now, drink this—you'll feel better," he told me as he held up a cup. I stared at it wearily, like it was some kind of poison just waiting to kill me. I gulped, feeling sicker than before. He gave me a look that told me that he would force this drink down my throat himself if he had to. I sat up once more, cringing as my stomach sent a bolt of pain through me. I almost fell back down, but am stopped as something soft sat behind me. It was a pillow to stop me from hurting myself even more. I blinked, not remembering when the soft pillow had appeared behind me.

"Here," he began, setting the cup back down on the tray and moving it off my lap and to the nightstand next to the bed. He stood to his feet and moved beside me. I shivered when his cool hand pressed against my back and pushed me to sit up a bit. He sat himself behind me, pulling me back so that my back was pressing against his cool chest. My heart thumped in my throat. Even though I was feeling sick as a dog, I could still feel embarrassed when being so close to Desmond.

He pulled the tray from the nightstand, sitting it on my lap once more. One hand appeared on each side of me as he reached for the cup of what I was assuming was soup.

"Don't act like a child," he said in a serious tone, taking the spoon from the cup. He waited for me to open mouth before lifting the spoon from the soup and putting it in my mouth. I was feeling so weird that he was feeding me like I was an incapable child. Maybe I was. I was a child to him, in a way. He could be my grandfather, when I took a second and think about it. I shook that thought from my mind and I returned to concentrating on being fed.

Unlike any human, he didn't spill. His hands were so still, it was almost like he was a statue. I had to admit—the food really was helping.

When I finished the small cup of soup, he picked up a piece of bread from the tray and fed it to me. The whole time his eyes remained on me, watching my every expression and move. A small smile played on his lips the whole time he fed me. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but somewhat happy that he was feeding me, smiling, and holding me. I sighed when the thought ran through my mind.

When I finished the bread, he took another cup from the tray and placed it to my lips. I sipped it a few times before sighing.

"There—was that so bad?" he asked in a playful tone. I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit better, but not a whole lot. I shrugged my shoulders, and he seemed pleased by this gesture.

"Well, that's better than no reply," he commented, obviously happy now that I was able to move a bit. I shut my eyes, feeling tired from the long day. A lot had happened in the last hours. It had meeting Lucifer to almost being eaten by werewolves. It was a nightmare! I sighed against Desmond's cool chest, feeling his chest rise and fall. Strange that he could breathe when he was dead.

"Sleep now," he whispered next to my ear. His voice made me relax and quickly put me to sleep.

I felt like I was floating. There was mist everywhere, making it nearly impossible to see. I turned around when I twig snapped behind me. I stared in horror as Cain appeared from the mist, looking gorgeous and deadly. His evil and crooked smile played on his face as he walked to me, moving the mist as he slowly closed the gap between us.

I jumped when I felt something cold rest on my shoulders. A warm feeling filled me as the person behind me bent down to my ear, breathing on it with an intoxicating scent.

"I'm here beside you," the familiar voice whispered in a kind and loving voice. I sighed, feeling the hands on my shoulders move down and wrap around my middle. "You don't have to fear anything," Desmond whispered, his lips touching my ear very lightly. By this time Cain had stopped and was now glaring at us. I watched with horror as his evil grin reappeared, figures beginning to appear from the fog next to him. They were not people, but large wolves. Their growls were loud, their lips pulling back to reveal their sharp and large teeth. They looked like they were going to attack us—ready to jump at us at any second.

I tensed as more growling came from behind and beside me. I turned to look at the growling noise and saw at least seven giant wolves, exactly like the ones that were going to attack me at Desmond's Birthday Party. Instead of growling and snarling at me and Desmond, they were growling and revealing their teeth to Cain and the other wolves, like they were on my side. Cain's smirk disappeared completely when Desmond brought me closer to him. I could feel his mouth at my neck, ready to bite me.

Instead of biting me, his lips lightly trace my neck, kissing and nipping every few centimeters.

"Grace...Grace...Gracie?" My eyes snapped open as I am shaken awake. I blinked, feeling blind for a moment. My eyes cleared away the tears to reveal a concerned Desmond. He was hanging over me on the bed, his arm on each side of my head. It took me a moment to comprehend it all. I gasped in surprise, sitting up on instinct. He easily dodged my head and moved out of the way as I sat up in the bed. I groaned in pain from my sudden movement. I still was not doing very well.

"Whoa there—you shouldn't move so quickly; you're still not well enough to be making sudden moves," he said as I fell back flat on the bed once more, clutching my head this time. I closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep and away from this pain. Even nightmares were better than this pain. My eyes tightened when something cold rested on my forehead.

"You're still warm." Desmond pulled away his hand after quietly talking to himself. He was mumbling, so I was guessing he was just doing a mental inspection.

I sat there for what felt like hours, but I knew it wasn't very long. I could feel Desmond lying beside me on the bed, not once letting his eyes linger from me. Every time I went to take a peek, he was staring at me intently, his expression always different every time. Sometimes his expression was confused, and then it would turn content. It was strange to see so many emotions on his face. I sighed loudly.

I couldn't sleep anymore—not after that nightmare. What did it mean? Was Cain coming to get me soon? And what was with the werewolves? What was with the two that were snarling against their own kind, as though they were being betrayed? And why was Desmond in my dream? His behavior was so unusual. He was holding me and...kissing me like we were lovers.

I turned over onto my side, feeling heat rush to me cheeks. I hid my face away, afraid Desmond would notice. Sure, I was sick and had a fever, but that didn't mean that Desmond could distinguish between the difference or not.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a worried tone. He was probably worried about why I was suddenly looking wary.

I tried to play it cool and relax, but ended up doing the opposite. I ended up stuttering."Y-yeah." My voice also cracked. I didn't sound convincing at all. The familiar plastic cup appeared in front of me as he leaned over me.

"You sound like you need a drink." There was hidden amusement in his voice. I blinked, staring at the plastic cup for a moment before lifting an aching hand to grab the water. He pulled the cup away from me, making it just barely out of my reach. I frowned. He climbed off of me so that he could push me to lie on my back. I didn't even try to fight against him; he would win no matter what. I watched and waited while he stared down at me with a curious expression, most of it showing in his eyes. I wanted some water.

"When you were sleeping, you sounded like you were in pain. What was your dream about?" he asked with a sudden seriousness in his voice. I swallowed hard, trying to dissolve the lump in my throat. He set the cup on the nightstand so that he could climb onto the bed and put his hands down on both sides of my head, trapping me under him. I forgot how to breathe as I stared up at him, his hair just barely long enough to touch his long eyelashes, making him look angelic above me. I tried to erase the thought from my mind, but all it wanted to do was go against me and think of how perfect his lips were, his eyes so beautiful that nothing could compare to such a spectacular color.

"Grace." His voice made me jump, knocking me out of my dazed expression. A small smirk gently played on the side of his lips, knowing that I was thinking about him. He could probably tell from the sudden color in my cheeks. This time I turned my head away to not get distracted, but still said nothing. I couldn't say what my dream was—it was too strange to explain. Desmond didn't buy my silent reply and continued to hover over me, pinning me between his body and bed. My temperature rose with each passing second. My eyes closed when his cold hand gently brushed my cheek. It felt nice to have something cold against my burning skin.

"Tell me," he demanded, almost begging for me to speak. My dream must have really bothered him if he was begging.

Why wasn't he this nice and sincere all the time?

I sighed, and then take a deep breath before forcing myself to speak. I didn't turn my head to stare at him while I spoke; he would see too much fear there. "It's hard to explain..." I began, pausing as I tried to remember the dream as best as I could. It actually wasn't too hard, I just wanted to pretend so that he wouldn't leave me or get angry after telling him.

"There was mist. Cain was there." He cringed when I said Cain's name. "He was smirking until you arrived. Giant wolves began to appear beside him, and then some appeared next to me, like they were ready to kill their own kind."

"Werewolves were going against their own kind?" Desmond asked in an incredulous tone.

I turned my head slightly to see his eyes a bit wide in shock. I nodded my head. "Why? Is that not normal?" I asked.

He slowly shook his head, closing his eyes at the same time before opening them once more to look down at me. "Werewolves are known for their great kinship. Even if they're from a different pack, they will act like brothers. A pack will sometimes allow some of their own pack to join another; it shows how much they trust each other. So hearing that they're attacking each other in your dream is very unusual. I don't think that it could ever happen," he explained. I blinked, taking in all the information with curiosity. I always loved to hear stories about unknown creatures, but now I could hear the truth from someone who personally knew what these creatures were like.

"Anything else in your dream?" he asked suddenly, sounding curious. I turned my head away again, wishing to hide my heating face. I knew that I was turning pink…or red.

"No…I think that was it," I replied, not wanting to tell him the rest of the dream; what he was doing and saying to me in the dream.

"Are you sure?" he asked, as if knowing there was more. I quickly nod my head, still refusing to look at him. A low chuckled erupts from his throat as he rolled off of me and laid down next to me on the bed. I was now staring at him. He turned his head to me and returned the stare as we lay on our back next to each other on the bed. I fell into a trance while I stared into his perfect eyes. They were penetrating mine, feeling like they were going to refuse releasing mine forever more. I sighed, breaking away from the stare and turned my head so that I was staring at the ceiling.

I sat for a while, just staring up at the ceiling. My heart beat quickly, thinking of what the future held for me. I swallowed hard, biting my lip to hold back the tears. I didn't want this to happen. I wanted to go home—to be with my uncle, who was thinking it was his entire fault that I was "dead". And my parents...their sad faces broke my heart. It tore me apart to see them so upset.

"Grace?" Desmond asked, sitting up when he saw me bite my lip to a point where it was almost bleeding. I swallowed the rock in throat and felt a single tear trail down my cheek. Getting sick did more than make me feel awful, it made me want to cry more than usual. I shook my head, hoping that it would help fight away the tears. I felt Desmond move closer to me, sitting up on one elbow while he watched me fight my emotions.

"What is it?" he asked in a low tone, fighting back the very emotions that were breaking from me.

I sniffled before speaking. I didn't even look at him as I spoke, but stared at the ceiling. "What's going to happen to me?" I whispered, fright clouding my tone. I heard him exhale loudly, as though he knew that this discussion was going to come up sooner or later. "I don't want to be here. I want to go home," I blurted out. My voice quivered, and I closed my eyes, letting a few tears stay from my eyes. I heard him sigh again, now refusing to stare at me. Instead, he stared at the gold sheets of the bed.

"I know," he whispered so low that I was barely able to hear him. I snorted, hearing regret in his voice. If he was trying to play the good guy again, he was doing a good job. But I was not going to fall for the same act twice. He scooted over to the nightstand and grabbed the plastic cup.

"Here—it will make you feel better," he advised, pushing the cup into my face. I stared at it with a blank stare before lifting my hands to take it from his. I sat up before bringing it to my lips, downing the whole cup of water in one gulp. I watched from my peripherals to see Desmond not looking at me, but down at the sheets, now doing the opposite of what he was doing earlier. I took the cup from my lips and stared down at the cup, suddenly feeling woozy. The cup fell out of my hand and onto the bed.

"Desmond...what have you done?" I asked in a slow voice.

I somehow found the power to throw my legs over the bed before standing to my feet. The world was moving again, like I was on a boat. It was strange—I felt like I was floating, and I hated it. I stumbled, beginning to walk toward the door, but tripped. I caught myself on the doorframe, just barely keeping myself up.

Desmond stood from the bed and watched me attempt to walk around the room. I stared with groggily eyes, trying with all my might to stay awake. All emotion was now gone from his face.

"Why?" I asked in a low whisper, sounding like I was panting. I clutched onto the doorframe harder, trying to keep myself on my feet. I knew that whatever was in that drink was doing its job fairly quickly.

"You'll thank me later," he said. My legs gave out. I slid down the door until I hit the ground, feeling the whole world blur before I felt my whole world turn black.

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**Don't hate me! And I know it's a bit cliche', but I wrote this thing about--oh--a two years ago. Pretend it's never been done before. ^_^**


	18. Absconder

**Hey all! Thanks so much for the comments! They inspired me to update.** ^_^

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**Chapter 18**

Absconder

Pain; it's a strange sensation when it fills one's every being. My head was pounding. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I groaned, lifting my arm up to touch my head to stop the pain. I struggled for a moment, trying to touch my head. Every muscle in my body ached. Everything, every noise was easily heard. I could hear a soft murmur of someone. I opened my eyes to see nothing but a blur for a moment. I blinked at least ten times before my vision finally cleared to reveal a nice room.

_Where am I? _I thought. I touched the fabric of the bed I was lying on and sighed. It was nice silk.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position and immediately fell back down. The pain in my head was too much to bear. I clenched my teeth and squeezed my eyelids as tight as I could, wishing that this pain would soon pass. I let out a sigh after many moments pass, the pain finally ceasing some. I didn't understand this pain. Why was I feeling this great pain? My eyes opened slightly when I heard a knock from somewhere. It must be from somewhere else in the house. A click came, and then I heard happy and joyful voices.

"You guys look pretty good considering you drank more than anyone else at the party," an angelic voice spoke in a warm voice. I sighed at the sound. I wondered who the voice belonged to. A few laughs and chuckles escaped the other people. They sounded happy, like nothing could make them feel otherwise.

I finally decided to try and ignore the pain so that I could find out who those people were. I only hoped they were nice. Clumsy as can be, I somehow found the power to climb to the side of the bed. My feet touched the nice white carpet floor. It was a nice feeling. I took a big intake of air before standing to my feet—or attempting. My legs shook under me, threatening to buckle from under me. I took one step and fell. My body didn't make a loud noise when it hit the soft floor.

"One more time," I told myself, pushing my body to lift itself up one more time. I used the bed for support, standing to my feet once more. When I could finally stand once more, I took another step. My legs didn't threaten to give up on me this time. I smiled, taking one step after the other, gaining more confidence each second. I opened the nice, white door, only to be confronted by stairs. I stared at them like they were a death trap. I held onto the railing like my life depended on it until I reached the very last stair. Wrong move on my part.

My legs couldn't handle the sudden movement, and I fell forward onto the wood floor, almost landing on my face. Luckily my hands stopped me from doing a face plant. I groaned, feeling my muscles tense, yelling for me to cease moving. I looked up from my position on the ground to see two nice looking people stare at me from what looked like a very nice living room. They gave me a worried expression for a moment before sending me a kind smile. I stared in complete astonishment.

The boy stood from his place next to the pretty red head and walked over to me. "Grace, are you all right? And I thought we drank a lot. What did Desmond do to make you feel better?" he asked, bending down to help me up. I blinked, not knowing what to say. Who was this person? Who were Desmond and Grace? It sounded like he was referring to me as Grace? Was I? He held out his hand, and I took it so he could help me to my feet.

The girl on the couch chuckled when I tripped over my feet when the boy led me into the room. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked in a kind voice, a warm smile playing on her lips. I sat down on the nice leather couch, unable to speak words. Footsteps came from somewhere in the big house, coming closer.

"Hey, you guys, this really isn't a good time-" I stared with wide eyes at the sight of a true angel. He stopped talking as soon as he saw I was sitting on the couch, but little of that reached my mind. He was perfect. His dark brown hair was just barely long enough that it could cover his eyes if he wanted it to. His eyes were a beautiful copper color, almost gold. His pale, almost shinning complexion made them flawless. Perfect. He stared at me with wide eyes, as though death itself was staring at him. The look sent shivers down my spine. The boy that helped me up returned to his spot next to the girl. I couldn't keep my eyes away from the angel.

"Jeeze, Desmond, what did you do to make her feel better? She's acting like she's completely lost. What gives?" the boy asked.

The beautiful angel, Desmond, continued to stare at me for a long moment before finally acknowledging the boy's words. "Oh, you know...a little of this, a little of that. I'm not exactly a doctor," he replied in a jumpy tone. The boy lifted his eyebrow at the strange behavior of the angel. The girl did the same. The angel walked over to me in a quick movement, holding out his hand for me to take. I took it without a second thought.

"Excuse us for a moment. Grace is still a little unwell," he said quickly, sliding an arm around my waist. I shivered from his touch; it was cold. My heart beat faster when he practically dragged me up the stairs and back to the room I was occupying before. He pulled me into the room, practically knocking me off my feet, shutting the door as soon as I was in the room. He walked me over to the bed, making me sit down on the soft mattress.

"Grace, I need you to stay here. Take a shower and make yourself feel better. Whatever you do, do not leave this room. Do you understand?" he asked slowly.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I understand." Why did I feel like I was being controlled by him?

He gave a warm smile. It shocked me. It was beautiful but sexy at the same time. "Good girl," he whispered. He leaned forward in a quick motion and kissed the top of my forehead. I stared in complete shock, unable to blink until I realized he had left the room. I sat there, blinking for a moment, still stunned by the beautiful creature known as Desmond. I touched my forehead where his lips had kissed. A warm feeling lingered where the silky lips had touched. I sighed, standing to my feet and walking to the shower.

"Wow," I whispered, glancing around the large bathroom. It was everything a girl could want in a bathroom. I closed the door, took my clothes off, and hopped into the shower. I enjoyed the warm water caressing my sore body. I made sure to keep my mind clear the whole time. I climbed out, drying myself off before getting out of the shower.

I entered the bedroom, checking to make sure no one was there before I walked in to get my clothes. I searched through the drawers until I found one that held clothes that looked like they'd fit me. I quickly slipped them on before rushing to the bathroom. For some reason my heart would not slow down. It was because of Desmond, I knew it. But there was something else missing. I couldn't figure out what was missing. It was strange that these people were calling me by Grace—and I assumed that was my name—but why hadn't I remembered that? I ignored the thoughts and I brushed my hair and teeth, feeling a lot better than before.

A bit of make-up awaited me on the bathroom counter. Mascara, a little eye shadow, and lip gloss was all I needed. I exited out of the bathroom and made my way out of the bedroom. I opened the door, but stopped when shouts and angry growls erupted from down stairs.

"Desmond! What were you thinking?!" It was the pretty boy.

"I don't know, okay? I just…I don't know, Ivan," Desmond mumbled, clearly sounding ashamed.

A loud snort came from the girl "Sure. I bet you drugged her and then raped her so that she wouldn't remember." The girl certainly didn't sound happy.

"Stop it, Dawn," Ivan warned her, but not in a demanding voice. I had a feeling there was something between those two. A loud sigh escaped Desmond. It amazed me that I could tell who it was, even though I was up one level of the house.

"I just...couldn't stand it any longer." I had to listen extra carefully to hear his words.

"Couldn't stand what?" Dawn asked in a snotty tone.

Desmond spoke in a quiet voice, "Her sadness." My heart beat faster. I was sad? But why? Was there a reason for my sadness? And why did Desmond care? Maybe he was close to me in some way. I crossed my fingers at that idea.

Ivan repeated, "Her sadness?" It sounded like he didn't buy his explanation.

"My heart may not be beating, but if it was, it would be breaking. Her tears and cries of helplessness and despair...they were killing me. I can't explain it. It's like I could feel her pain, and it was hurting me just as much to see her so miserable. Every time I thought of a way to comfort her, I held myself back. You guys don't know how it feels to want to touch someone so dearly, but are unable to. When I'm around her, my senses go wild. I can't help it. I only want to make her happy.

"So I did the only thing I thought would help her heal her heart. I erased her memory. I didn't think it would erase that part of who she thought she was. I don't think it erased what she's learned in everyday life, such as cars and other things, but just the people and the instances that have happened. My only intention was to erase the memories of her life before she had come here…and the horrifying moments of being in this world." The last part took him a lot to mutter. I stood there in the doorway, frozen with shock. I became dizzy, not realizing that I wasn't breathing. I staggered a breath, finally knocking some sense into me. A loud sigh erupted from Ivan. I could already tell that he was shaking his head.

"Desmond, you're so foolish sometimes," he murmured. I took silent steps down the stairs, inching my way toward the door. I felt confusion radiate from Dawn, even from where I was standing. All of a sudden, a loud, high pitched slapping sound echoed through the house. I took a quick glance around the corner to see Desmond's beautiful face slanted to the side, Dawn standing over him as he sat on the couch, holding her hand out like she'd just used all her force to slap him. She was shaking with anger, fury reflecting in her eyes. I could see all this with a simple glance.

"You egotistical, moronic, bastard!" she shouted at a level that made a car alarm sound like wind chimes. Desmond didn't move, keeping his head tilted away from her. I couldn't tell if he'd been hit or not. From the lack of color on his cheek, it didn't seem like he had been hit at all.

"Do you realize what you've done?!" she screamed. "What is she going to think when she has to go through the whole scare fest all over again? Do you realize how frightened she is going to be when she finds out that there are creatures in this world that lust for her blood...you being one of them?" I couldn't handle it any longer. I suddenly felt chilled to the bone. I dashed for the door, opening and slamming it shut in less than a second.

I ran blindly through the thick fog, not caring where I was going, as long as I was away from those strange people. Forgetting about safety and survival, I ran for the forest that was located behind the house, not caring that it was dark, cold, and dangerous at this time of night. Cold air entered and exited my lungs, burning them. I jumped over logs and bushes, pushing myself deeper into the dark woods. Tears threatened to escape. I fought them back, concentrating on dodging logs and other things that threatened to prevent me from running further.

_Why? Why is this happening? What did they mean? Their words made no sense. _

I let out a shrill of a scream, feeling my ankle twist and make a nasty cracking sound. I fell onto the damp ground, finally allowing the tears to be released. The pain was immense. I lay there on the cold and wet ground, even though many sticks and other wildlife were stabbing into me. The cold air felt good against my tearstained face. I sat up to touch my ankle, to check how damaged it was. I touched it, and cringed, biting my lower lip to the point where it was bleeding to hold back a pain-filled scream. The world spun from the great pain of my leg. I lay back onto the wet ground, knowing that movement was out of the question. My tears flowed like a waterfall until I knew that no more could leak from my eyes. I stared at nothing, not caring of the loud screeches and growls that echoed in the night. I thought it would usually scare me, but tonight, I could care less. All I wanted was for the pain in my left ankle to stop.

I lay on the ground for what felt like hours, staring at nothing. I began to shiver, the cold finally getting to me. It had to be at least forty degrees or below. The cold no longer felt good against my cheeks. Instead it felt like I was a human ice cube. The pain in my ankle wasn't helping. I tried to move again, but could make no more than a twitch before my ankle started to pulse again.

"I'm such a fool," I murmured to myself, paying no mind that my voice had cracked and sounded like I was suffocating. I gasped, hearing another sound of a growl. I lifted my head up slowly, looking around, but seeing nothing. I gulped, but my throat was completely dry. I knew that there was a creature staring at me right now; I could feel it. I gasped, hearing the sound of a twig snapping somewhere near me. My eyes searched frantically for any movement.

My breathing stopped, seeing a large, dark figure prowl toward me through the darkness. I tried to act like I was not alive, but it didn't seem to fool the beast. It looked like the size of a bear. No, it was larger. It had to be at least 7 or 8 feet tall. It looked like a large horse. Its legs were skinny, but its upper half was large, full of muscle. Its light colored fur glinted in the darkness, even though there was no light. Its golden eyes caught mine. I watched in horror when it disappeared behind a tree, but didn't come out the other side. I mentally prayed that it was not thinking of attacking me. I shut my eyes, waiting for the worst. Perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me…

"Hey," I soft voice came from above me. My eyes snapped open, and I looked up to see a tall figure stand over me. His eyes were almost the same color of the angel I had met earlier. If it wasn't so cold out I would be blushing at the sight before me. The boy standing over me was gorgeous, there was no arguing that. But the thing that made my blood pump faster was the fact that he had no shirt on, revealing his beautiful and built ivory top half.

He bent down next to me, a look of worriment and anxiousness sketched across his face. "Are you all right?" His voice was soft, like a cloud. I struggled to think of words, but came up with nothing. My ankle was suddenly feeling much better. "You must be in shock," he mused to himself.

_You have no idea_. I mulled over in my head, glad that no heat was able to flow to my cheeks.

"Is it your ankle?" He must have noticed that I was favoring my leg. I nodded my head, still unable to speak. He warmly smirked. My heart stopped at the pretty sight. He looked from me to the dark forest, and then returned to me once more. "What are you doing out here all alone? It's dangerous," he said, almost sounding like he was scolding me—or wanting to scold someone.

I looked down to the ground. "I was running away," I admitted in a low whisper. I felt his stare pierce through my very being.

"Why?" he asked, almost too low for me to hear.

"I'm scared. I don't understand where I am or even who I am." I must have sounded like a lunatic. I looked up when I heard no reply. He was staring at me with a sympathetic look. I quickly looked away, afraid that he was able to see through me. My eyes snapped back when I hear him stand to his feet, frightened that he was going to leave me. To my surprise, he walked to one side of me, and kneeled beside me once more.

"I can't let you freeze to death out here. We need to get you somewhere safe and warm," he said with a small smile. I nodded like an idiot, stunned from the angelic smile. "I'm going to pick you up, so be aware that your ankle is probably going to feel like it is being crushed."

I turned away, afraid to show my face. "Thanks for the warning," I mumbled, not knowing that he would be able to hear it. He chuckled beside me. He must have **really** good hearing. I felt his warm arms slip under me and lifted me up as though I was two pounds. I gasped and tried to coil into a ball in his arms, feeling shocks of pain jolt through my ankle. I felt dizzy again. I tried my best to ignore the pain when we began to walk. I sighed when I found that his walking was so smooth that it almost felt like we were gliding on the air.

"So, what's your name?" he asked, sparking up a conversation. It took me a minute to remember what Ivan, the pretty boy, had called me.

"I think my name is Grace. I truthfully don't remember anything...," my voice faded at the end. He mouthed my name with a small smirk. _'Grace.'_

"That must be tough; not knowing who you are. You don't remember anything? Your parents? Friends?" I shook my head, refusing to let my sad eyes leave my lap. I shivered from the feeling of his skin against mine. It filled me with warmth after staying in the cold for so long. Strangely, his skin was very warm, almost hot compared to Desmond's.

"Well, Grace, I'm Shayne, Shayne Mullins." He sounded almost proud of the name. I nodded my head, mouthing his name too. A closed my eyes for a moment, but snapped them right back open when an image of Desmond flickered in my mind, almost as real as if he were with me right now.

"Is it your ankle?" Shayne asked. I blinked, not understanding why he was asking. I looked and noticed that my hands were clenched into tight fists. I nodded my head, pretending that it was the reason for my sudden tense behavior.

For the duration of the walk Shayne asked me questions about myself. I guessed most of them, not really knowing the answer. I asked a few, but he seemed unwilling to want to tell me the answer.

"What was with that thing in the woods before you came? You know, the one that looked like a giant wolf," I asked, feeling that I needed to get it out of my mind.

He stared at me with an eyebrow raised; looking as though I'd just asked the most obvious question. "I scared it off." There was pure sarcasm in his voice.

I frowned. "You're lying. I find it strange how the thing just disappears behind a tree, and you pop out in its place. Am I the only one who find that a bit strange?" It was my turn to lift an eyebrow to him.

He shook his head, almost looking like he was rolling his eyes. "Yes, you're the only one who finds it strange. Oh—wait, you don't remember, do you?" he stopped his ridicule, remembering that I had no recollection of anything but this night. I nodded my head as a reply. He smirked down at me in his arms. I tensed involuntarily.

"I guess I'll have to show you sometime."

I sighed. "Why do I suddenly feel nervous?" I asked myself, shaking my head a bit.

He chuckled, sending vibration through my body. "By the way, is there anyone who is looking for you? You said that you were running away, but I have this feeling that there is more to this story of yours." I didn't answer. I figured that it was best not to talk about the others right now. I could already tell that they were going to be furious with me. I guess that's what I get for being reckless. I felt Shayne shrug.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

_He sounds like an upset child who has just been denied candy._ I didn't understand why the idea popped into my head. I laughed at the thought. I saw from my peripherals that he was smirking down at me. He looked like he was happy that he was making me laugh. I glanced ahead of us and was surprised to see lights coming from a house.

"Where are we?"

"My house," he replied.

Shayne carried me up the steps to the house, and with one hand, opened the door. Warm air from the house brushed against my skin, but even then it was not as warm as Shayne's body heat. Sudden loudness made me cringe.

"Hey! Shayne! Finally made it back! Took you long enough!" a loud, booming voice shouted from the rest of the crowd. All went quiet when the others realized me in Shayne's arms. I stared at the small group. Six young men were sitting around a large TV, all holding a drink or some chips.

"Wow, Shayne. You go out to scout the forest, and you come back with a girl. Nice job," one of the larger boys spoke, winking at me. I turned bright red. All of them were attractive, but not like Shayne or Desmond. They all were large built and strong; I could tell that by the muscles that stood out against their shirts.

"So, who's the girl?" a boy at the very end of the couch asked, not sounding as enthused as the others. He glanced at me, and the darkness of his gaze sent shivers down my spine.

Shayne brought me closer to him, feeling me shiver. "This is Grace," he began. I had a feeling there were going to a lot of questions from the looks on their faces.


	19. Conflicts

**Hey everyone! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Thanks for the comments! You guys are awesome. **

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**Chapter 19**

Conflicts

"So, did Shayne here rough you up a bit?" the boy on the end of the couch asked. This was the 20th question in less than five minutes.

I tensed involuntarily beside Shayne when his hold around my waist tightened after the boy had asked the question. I wasn't complaining that he was making sure that I didn't fall on my face. The young man smirked when he saw Shayne's reaction.

The oldest young man of the group said, "That's enough, Joshua." He was the one giving me the darkest look out of them all. The rest of them seemed rather interested in the fact that Shayne had found me hurt and alone in the woods.

"I suppose I should introduce everyone now that they've had their fun asking you many questions," Shayne began, sighing loudly as if he didn't want to do introductions. "This is Eric." He pointed to the blonde on the floor.

Eric jumped to his feet in a lithe motion with such grace that it made me gasp in surprise. He smirked and held out his hand. "Nice to meet such a nice young lady," he said.

I took his hand and returned the smile. "It's nice to meet a young man who doesn't call me a chick or girl."

He laughed and released my hand and said, "No problem." He returned to his spot on the floor, flopped down on his stomach and went back to watching television.

"And this is Matt," Shayne said.

The auburn haired young man who had been lying next to Eric stood to his feet. He wasn't as energetic as Eric, but no one else in the room seemed to have the same energy as Eric. His hair was cut short, almost to a point to being called spiky. Unlike Eric's baby blue eyes, his were a dark, almost onyx color. He was taller than Eric by a few inches, about six-foot four. They both felt tall against my five-foot, six inches. His skin was darker than the rest of them. He held out his hand with a guarded look in his eyes.

"It's a pleasure," I said, sending him a shy smile while grabbing his hand.

He seemed shocked by my words and courage to grab his hand in a tight handshake. A small smirk trailed across his lips. "Same here," he said. He released my hand and went back to sit on the ground next to Eric, crossing his legs like he had been doing yoga for some time.

"And you've pretty much already met the jokester of the group, Joshua," Shayne said.

"That's me," Joshua said, jumping to his feet with almost the same energy as Eric. He was the same height as Eric. His brown hair was spiked with too much gel. I could only guess how much time it took to clean the stuff out of his hair. His eyes were a dirty green color, mixed with a light brown. He walked over to me and held out his hand.

I was almost reluctant to shake his hand, paranoid that there was going to be one of those handshake buzzers that shocked me when I finally touched his hand. I let out a held breath when I felt no shock. "You seem like a character," I commented.

He smiled and nodded his head. "You can only imagine how boring this place would be without me," he said.

I glance around the room and chuckled. The room did seem like it would be a little boring without him. "I can only imagine," I agreed.

"And that's my brother, Derek," he said, pointing his thumb toward his almost mirror image that was leaning against the wall. "We're twins."

I stared with a perplexed expression, glancing back and forth between the two. "No kidding," I said, shaking my head to make sure I wasn't seeing double.

Derek didn't move from his spot against the wall, not acting anything like his twin. No, he was almost the exact opposite when it came to character. His arms were crossed over his chest as he stared at me with piercing eyes. He gave a low, "Hey," and that was it.

My ankle was pounding with a heavy and fast pulse. I was pretending to be the tough girl. I did not want to complain when I was being introduced to people of the house. I felt like it would be rude to say anything. But—dang—did it hurt to play a role that you knew would fail in the end. I didn't feel like standing for much longer, so I returned his simple word with a nod of the head. He didn't seem to care. Joshua returned to his seat on the couch so that he could watch television.

I jumped when two loud voices came from the hall behind me. I turned around and saw two young men in the kitchen. One had black hair that was long enough to cover his eyes. He was dressed in jeans that had tears at the knees. He was shirtless, just like Shayne. He was just as well-built as Shayne, as well. All of them were big. Not too big, but built to a point that I could see their six-packs through their shirts. All of them were perfect. The other young man had brown curly hair, long enough that he could tie it back in a ponytail. He was shirtless, too. He was dressed in ripped jean shorts that had paint stains on them. The two of them were fighting over who got the last bag of chips.

"Those two animals are Craig and Dean. They fight over everything, so we've all gotten used to hearing their mindless quarreling," Shayne said with a shake of his head as though he didn't understand the two at all. "And of course—last but not least—Troy."

I glanced to the last introduced person in the house. Sitting on the couch, he gave me the same look I received when I had first entered the house: cold. I felt a shiver of something unexplainable when our eyes connected. The look in his eyes was hostile. He didn't like me, and he was making sure that I knew it.

Shayne put a warm hand on my shoulder, and it made me jump. "Let's go take a look at that ankle of yours," he said.

I looked to him, and our eyes connected. I felt like I was melting inside after I had been staring at the cold eyes of Troy. Shayne's eyes were warm and soft, a color that would melt any girl's heart. I nodded my head, feeling Troy's glare on my back. Shayne lifted me into his arms with a single sweep and carried me up the stairs. It amazed me how he could carry me like I weighed nothing.

"Aren't I heavy? You're not straining one bit, and you're carrying me up stairs," I asked, feeling a bit embarrassed about being carried by someone I didn't know at all.

He chuckled. "Are you kidding me? If you weighed any less, I would be worried about your health," he said. I blushed, turning my eyes to the ground in a nervous gesture. I was sure he had seen it, but he didn't say anything. Smart man. It was a simple two story house, something I didn't get at all. It didn't make sense that seven large young men could all fit in a small two story house. I wondered if it was an optical illusion or something.

Shayne carried me down the long hall to the last door on the right. He opened the door without dropping me; something I thought was rather impressive. His room wasn't large, but the bed in the room was. It took up almost half of the room. He set me down on the soft mattress, making sure that my ankle was levitated.

"Now," he began, "Let's have a look at this ankle of yours." He sat down on one knee to kneel in front of me. He slowly began to untie my shoelaces, making sure to be as careful as possible. When he was sure it was loose enough, he pulled it off slowly, but it still made me cringe in pain. My ankle had at least doubled in size.

"Ow!" I hissed when my ankle moved too much in one direction.

"Sorry. Would it be less painful if I chopped it off?" he asked.

I laughed, unable to hold it back. "No, I think I'll survive," I said through a chuckle.

He smiled. The smile made all the pain in my ankle disappear like magic. He pulled my sock off, leaving my foot bare. My nails looked like they had recently been manicured. Had I gone somewhere special? Or did I always have such well kept feet? Sadly, I had no idea.

"Wow, it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. Maybe I'm just a whiner," I said. My ankle was a little swollen, but nothing that looked too serious. Sure, it was beginning to bruise a little, but after running through the woods in the dark, I think I deserved it for being so foolish.

"It's a definite sprain. It might be worse than it looks. I don't think you tore a ligament, but you definitely came close. We need to put something around it to make sure that you do not strain it any more than you already have," he said in a low voice. He lightly trailed his fingers over the bruised skin, lighter than a butterfly's kiss. I staggered a breath and felt shivers run down my spine.

He looked up from his place on the ground. He had probably felt the shivers that had shot through my body. "You okay? Not going into shock, are you?" He smiled again.

It took me a second to register what he had said. I shook my head, trying to knock myself out of my reverie. "No, just feeling shocks." The moment I said it I wanted to take it back. Here I was, telling a gorgeous, half naked guy that I was feeling shocks.

He gave me a concerned look. "Shocks of pain? I was hoping you weren't in that much pain," he said. He had it all wrong, and I was glad. I was only hoping that he was buying the act.

I couldn't keep my eyes off his chest. He was like a magnet for my attention, something I hoped he didn't realize. I had a feeling he did. "Like I said, I think I'm just being a whiner. I'm just not used to feeling pain. I don't remember what it feels like to have a tremendous amount of pain," I explained.

Shayne's eyes clouded with sadness. He was more upset than I was that I couldn't remember anything. He shook his head, turning his eyes to the ground. "I don't understand how you can accept not knowing who you really are. To not remember those who you have met and loved in your life," he shook his head again. "I just can't imagine the thought. Don't you feel...incomplete?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "A little, but I don't really know what that feeling means to me. Sure, I guess I can wonder how it would feel, but I don't really know what it means to be incomplete. I guess it's just another word for saying there's a missing piece to the puzzle. I guess in this situation the puzzle is my life," I said.

Shayne stared at me for a long moment, looking like he was entranced by my words. A look flickered across his eyes. It was a strong emotion, but as soon as it had appeared, it was gone. He stood to his feet in a graceful motion and walked toward the door. He left me sitting on the bed while he exited out of the door, disappearing from my sight, much to my dismay.

Eric appeared in the doorway no less than thirty seconds later, arms crossed over his chest. He was the smallest of the guys, but was still built to a point that I could see his muscles through his shirt. He leaned against the doorframe in a relaxed gesture. He smiled at me sitting on Shayne's bed.

"Do you always smile?" I asked.

His smile widened. He pushed back some of his blond hair from his face. "I try. I've learned that a smile can be pretty contagious," he said.

I couldn't prevent a smile from creeping to my face. "I guess that's a good reason to smile all the time. I guess you and Joshua are the real clowns of the house, huh?" I asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that we are the life of the house," he said. He gazed at me from the doorframe for a moment while the silence thickened. More questions were coming, I could feel it. He opened his mouth to say something, but a knock on the door that made half the house shake stopped him.

"What was that?" I asked.

Eric growled, sounding more like an animal than human. "It's him. What is he doing here?" He disappeared from the doorway like a flash of lightning. I hopped to my feet and began to limp out the door. It hurt to move, but for some reason I felt like I was being drawn to whatever was standing on the other side of the door. I needed to find out who it was. I had made it to the railing of the stairs by the time the door had opened.

Shayne opened the door, practically pulling it off its hinges. "What are you doing here, bloodsucker?" His voice was full of such dislike that it sent shivers down my spine.

"Where's the girl?" My breath got caught in my throat. It was Desmond. Had he followed me? But how? I hadn't seen him following me earlier. In fact, I had made sure that no one had followed me into the woods. How could he have found me so quickly?

Shayne gave a low growl. "Why? So you can have a midnight snack?" he snarled.

Desmond returned the kindness and began to growl. "Do not test my patience, mutt. Give me Grace and I won't break your legs...for now," he said.

I gasped when I felt something strong hit me like an invisible wave. Something was pounding against me, but I couldn't see it. It was crushing me. I felt something like a hammer hit me. I fell to my knees, gasping for air. Little white dots were beginning to appear in my vision. Not a good sign. Ten thousand pounds were pushing me lower to the ground. I tried to fight it, but found no power against this great weight. I wanted to scream, but found no voice.

"Shayne! I need help!" Eric's voice echoed, sounding like we were on separate ends of a cave when he was actually kneeling down beside me, trying to figure out why I was on the ground. He touched me, and I screamed. He pulled away like he had just been shocked. His touch had only added to the great weight that was holding me down.

The pressure, the thousand pounds lifted from my body enough that I was finally able to get an inhale of air in my lungs. My head felt light after being without enough oxygen. I felt Shayne and Desmond's presence next to me like we had a strong connection. What was this feeling? This power?

"Grace?" Desmond said in a panicked voice, rolling me over onto my back.

I stared up and saw two angels. Desmond and Shayne were leaning over me, both with very concerned expressions. I coughed, trying to clear my throat so I could speak. "I feel...tired," I choked out.

Desmond and Shayne looked to each other, but the glance was not a pleasant one. The look in their eyes was fierce, unwavering, and full of dislike.

"Do you have something to tell me, fang face?" Shayne asked.

Desmond narrowed his eyes at him. "I don't have anything to tell you but for you to keep your nose out of it. If you hadn't started this, maybe Grace wouldn't be on the ground," he snapped.

Shayne growled. "Me? You should be thanking me that I got to her before any other animal could get her. Besides, you're the one who came to my house and started it." Shayne was practically yelling.

"If you hadn't started lashing your aura at me, maybe I would have behaved myself better. You're the one who challenged me."

"What did you expect when you came knocking at my door? A warm welcoming?" Shayne said in a defensive tone.

Desmond shook his head like he didn't believe it. "You knew that I wasn't here to fight you. You just wanted to prove a point."

I couldn't handle it any longer. I reached up and put a hand over both their mouths. "Enough. I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but whatever the hell you two did, it affected me." I pulled my hands away from their mouths before I was finished speaking. They both were now staring at me with a curious look.

"Explain," Desmond said.

I sighed, wanting to do nothing but sleep. My ankle was no longer hurting, but my head was making up for the lack of pain. "I don't know what happened. It's hard to explain. It felt like an invisible force was crushing me. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. All I could do was feel this...force crush against me like it was trying to sink into me. It felt like if it crushed me enough it would eventually seep into me," I said. I felt like I was sounding like a maniac—which I probably was—but the looks on Shayne's and Desmond's face made me think that they believed me. They exchanged a quick glance before returning to me.

"Do you think she felt our auras?" Shayne asked. I figured it was for Desmond now that the others were now curiously watching what was happening. Eric was standing behind Shayne, staring down at me with the same look as Desmond's and Shayne's. Even he was curious about what I had to say. All the others I had met earlier were standing on the stairs or near them.

"I think that it's possible," Desmond whispered after a long pause. He extended his hand toward me, waiting for me to take it. I hesitated. Only a few hours ago was I running from him, scared from the words that had come from his mouth. He was the one who had made me this way. He was the one who had erased my memories. I should hate him, shouldn't I? If that was the case, my body didn't seem to care. I reached out and put my hand in his. I gasped when my hand felt hot against his.

He stood and took me with him. With an easy sweep, he lifted me into his arms. He carried me down the stairs before I knew what was happening. The cold air from outside blew into the warm house. Someone had left the door open.

I looked to the living room and saw all the guys I had met earlier crowded into one area. They all looked on edge and were staring at Desmond with defensive looks. They all looked as tense as could be. When my eyes landed on Troy's, they were colder than before. He wasn't glaring at Desmond, but at me. I shivered, and that was the fourth time because of him. Desmond started to carry me out the front door, but Shayne's voice stopped him.

Shayne practically flew down the stairs and appeared in the doorway. "Wait, you can't just take her," he said.

I was a bit shocked by this sudden flow of emotion coming from him. He had been so quiet a moment ago, staring at me with undecided eyes, and now he was fighting for my right to stay. I could feel his heart beating quickly in his chest from where Desmond was holding me.

Desmond turned with me in his arms. "Shayne, I am grateful that you watched over and took care of Grace for me. But now I need to do my job and take her home," he said with slight straining in his voice. He was trying to hold back his temper.

Shayne's eyes narrowed. "Are you dating humans now? I can't even imagine you dating a kind and gentle person like Grace," he said with spite. I opened my mouth to say I wasn't, even though I didn't know if I was or not. I doubted Desmond dated people like me.

Desmond answered before I could. "You don't have to imagine something that's real and right in front of your own eyes."

I looked up to Desmond with wide eyes. "Excuse me? Are you implying that we're dating?" I asked too quickly, panic beating my heart with a fast pace.

Desmond smirked and glanced down to me. "Yes, I am."

I stared with wide eyes at Desmond for a long moment. I felt a second pair of eyes on me and turned to Shayne. I felt my heart break in two. His eyes were hurt, a look of betrayal pasted across his face. He didn't know me at all, and yet he was staring at me like I had stabbed him in the back. I looked down to the ground, unable to handle either gaze. "Desmond, put me down," I said in a whisper, but he heard me and did as I had asked.

"Why do you have that look on your face? You look like you've just hit a dog," he said to Shayne. I heard a bit of humor hidden in that comment.

I looked up with sad eyes, the same eyes that Shayne had used to stare at me. "Is what you say true or are you just trying to make Shayne jealous?" I asked.

Desmond seemed shocked by my expression more than my question. He looked away and sighed after staring at me for no more than a moment, unable to handle the look on my face. He turned around and faced Shayne, putting me to his back. "You're right, wolf. A person like Grace would never date a person like me, regardless of my disappointment," he said as though it hurt him to say it.

"Wait, how do you know I wouldn't date a person like you? I don't even know you that well. And why do you keep calling each other these weird names like _wolf _and _bloodsucker_?" I asked to Desmond's back. I watched his back tense and twist in an uncomfortable position. I glanced around his back to Shayne. His face was no longer hurt, but blank. I took a step around Desmond so that I could see what his face was hiding from me. It looked exactly like Shayne's.

"Tell her, Desmond, or I will do it for you," Shayne said.

I looked back and forth between them. "Tell me what?"

Desmond closed his eyes and took a big intake of air.


	20. Monsters

**Chapter 20**

Monsters

I waited for what felt like ten minutes for Desmond to explain to me what was going on. He was a procrastinating, taking a cigarette and lighter out of his front pant pocket. He put the nasty stick in his mouth, followed by the lovely fire that lit it. He took an inhale of the smoke, and then released it through his nose. I could tell that he was trying to look like he was at ease, but he was actually on edge. I don't know how I noticed, but it was almost as if I knew how he was feeling, or that I was expecting as much from him.

I cleared my throat, aggravation slowly seeping into plain sight. "You're really good at annoying people, did you know that?" I muttered, knowing that he would hear it.

He took another deep inhale of smoke before letting it leave his mouth. He glanced at me with a bored expression. "Yup, and I'm enjoying it." I wanted to slam my foot on the ground and pout like a little girl, but I held back the impulse. Instead, I glared at him as he continued to smoke his cigarette and pretend that Shayne and I weren't there. I could tell that Shayne was losing his patience as well.

"Grace, come on. Let's leave him to his smoking. He's obviously not going to explain anything too soon," Shayne said, holding out his hand out to me. I looked at his held-out hand for a long moment, not sure what to do. I wanted to take it, but was afraid for some reason. It's one of those moments where your conscience suddenly kicks in and starts speaking things, making you more confused than you were before.

"Knock it off, Shayne," Desmond said, finishing his cigarette and throwing it to the ground. "I'll tell her all she wants to know when we get home. Besides, don't you have your pack to worry about? What do they think of her? They probably think she's untrustworthy and is working for me."

Shayne shook his head, almost as if he were shaking the idea from his head. "I don't believe they think anything of the sort." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Desmond.

Desmond turned his blank gaze to Shayne, almost knowing that he had a look of denial in his eyes. "Are you so sure? What about Troy?" he asked.

Shayne's eyes dropped to the ground. Desmond had hit home, whatever it was. "Troy doesn't trust anybody—you already know this." Shayne sounded as if he were pouting.

Desmond smirked at his reply. "Still haven't found the power to defeat him, have you?" he asked.

Shayne didn't reply, but turned his gaze to me instead. His eyes connected with mine, and I fell into a trance. I felt a shiver of excitement chase down my spine, making goose bumps appear all over my skin. It wasn't until then that I realized that Shayne and Desmond had the exact same eye color. They both had a rich copper color, something that would entrance almost anybody. And it wasn't only their eye color, but their appearances. They both had **beautiful **structured faces, things that were very hard to find. Desmond's hair was longer and dark brown, whereas Shayne had short, light copper hair. But other than the hair, they could pass as brothers. It was a scary thought, but one that seemed realistic.

"No," he replied after a long moment of staring at me.

I broke eye contact as soon as he blinked, moving my gaze to something less distracting. That something was Joshua, who was walking down the steps of the porch behind Shayne. When I had met no more than a half an hour ago, he couldn't keep a smile off his face. Now it seemed as if it were the exact opposite. His face was almost as plain as Desmond's or Shayne's; completely wiped of emotion. His hair was wet and now cleaned of the goops of gel that he had used to spike his hair earlier. His green-brown eyes connected with mine, and I could see the kindness hidden behind his defensive and blank face. He was acting, pretending to be the tough guy in front of Desmond, but I could tell that what he really wanted to do was to smile and say something like _'Come play a game of poker with me, Grace._' The words weren't going to come out as long as Desmond was here in front of their house.

I looked past Shayne and Joshua to see Eric, the blond, standing in the entrance of the door, leaning against the doorframe. I glanced to Desmond, and then to Shayne. They were having another one of their staring contests. I shook my head and began to make my way past them. I brushed past Joshua and made it to the second step of the porch before I heard someone call to me.

"Grace, just where do you think you're going?" Desmond asked just loud enough so that I heard him.

I paused and turned slightly, enough to show him my face. "I am waiting inside until you two stop fighting. My ankle is killing me, and the house looks rather inviting right now," I replied.

He lifted an eyebrow, as if he didn't believe the words that had come from my mouth. "Inviting?" he questioned.

I nodded my head. "I'm tired of standing out in the cold. And it doesn't look like you two are going to be done any time soon," I explained. I turned back and continued on my way up the stairs, limping ever so slightly.

Eric greeted me with a smile when I made it to the door. "Let's finish taking care of your ankle. I'm sure it's more swollen by now," he joked.

I went along with him as I walked into the house. "Without a doubt. I think it's about to fall off."

He laughed at that. He offered me his arm and led me into the house. I stopped, tugging him with me when I looked at the many steps that led to the second floor. Eric smiled and lifted me up into his arms before I could complain, let alone open my mouth.

"You're good at reading minds," I commented as I wrapped my arms around his shoulder, worried that he would drop me.

He smiled. "The look on your face gave you away," he said. He carried me into the room I was in before, which was Shayne's room. He set me on the large bed, making sure I was comfortable before leaving to get some supplies. I touched Shayne's unmade bed, feeling the soft fabric.

_What a strange and long night._ I kept thinking to myself as I remembered the night's events. I had run from Desmond's house, or what I assumed was his house, and escaped into the dark and supposedly dangerous woods. Then I fall and almost break my ankle, soon to be found by a gorgeous young man. Now—here I was—sitting on his bed, rethinking of all that had happened within a few hours.

"Here we go," Eric said, appearing in the doorway and knocking me out of my thoughts. He had a whole arm full of bandages and antiseptics.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "A bit much, don't you think?" I asked.

He chuckled as he dropped everything on the bed, bending down on his knees. "Yeah, but I have no idea what to use. We don't even use any of this stuff—we have no reason to," he said.

"What do you mean you don't have any reason to use this stuff? If you have an injury, don't you use this stuff to clean it?" I asked.

He shook his head. "We heal better without all these antiseptics. Besides, if the wounds really were bad, we would just lick them. That's the up-side of being what we are; we can heal better than any other supernatural being," he explained, but it only left me even more confused. My face probably looked as lost as ever. He worked on my foot as I tried to gather all the information.

"Supernatural? You're speaking as if you're not human," I said, unsure of what to say.

He looked up from his work and stared straight at me with a blank look. "Well, we are human, but not human at the same time. Lycanthropy is a pretty complex subject," he said, returning to his work.

"Lycanthropy? Where have I heard of that before?" I asked myself, looking up to the ceiling for answers.

"A lot of people have heard of it. It's not uncommon now days to run into a werewolf, or were-animal for that matter."

I blinked, collecting all of the information. "So you're a werewolf?"

He nodded his head as he finished cleaning the mud off my ankle and started wrapping a bandage around it. "So are the rest of the people who live in this house. Though the legends they speak of our kind aren't completely true. It is true that we were-animals have trouble controlling our instincts during the full moon, but we don't have to change. We can change into our animal form whenever we want. But it takes a few hours before we are able to change back into our human forms, except for those of our kind who have greater power. Those who are stronger can change whenever they want."

I asked the question that quickly came to mind. "Is Desmond a werewolf?"

Eric snorted loudly while shaking his head. "Are you kidding me? That thing is as far from being a were-animal as can be." He had dark humor hidden in the back of his voice, distaste. Why was it that he disliked Desmond so much?

"How is he different from you? I'm guessing he's not human."

He snorted again. "You guessed right. He's not even alive. No, he's very different from us. He is neither living nor dead, which is why our kind despises his kind. His kind feed off humans and other creatures, killing them some of the time. That's why we're all surprised that he came here looking for you. Our first thought was that he came here to attack you and kill you, but from the looks of it, that doesn't seem to be the case." He finished wrapping the bandage around my ankle, and began to clean up his mess off of Shayne's bed.

I didn't reply to his comments, but stared at my ankle instead, trying to figure it all out. Desmond didn't seem to want to kill me, so I was safe with that thought. And Eric had explained that werewolves didn't like whatever Desmond was because he killed humans and other creatures. But what was he?

Before Eric could walk out of the room, I caught his attention. "Eric, what is Desmond, exactly?"

He paused for a long moment, staring at me with warm eyes, but with a dark look on his face. He really didn't like Desmond, and it showed on his face. If he could, I was sure he would stick a spoon in his mouth and try to gag himself. "He's a bloodsucker, a vampire, if you prefer." He turned without another word, and left me sitting on the bed to stare at the spot where he was standing.

I sighed louder than necessary, leaning back until my back was against the warm covers of the bed. I brushed a hand through my knotted hair, wishing that I had a hairbrush. My body felt sweaty and dirty, and it probably smelled just as bad. I had taken a shower earlier, but now I was covered in dirt. I laughed to myself when I pictured myself with a muddy face and twigs sticking out of my hair. I moved my ankle a tiny bit, and was pleased when it didn't hurt. How had so much happened when so little time had passed? I sighed again, pushing myself onto the bed so that my legs no longer hung off the end of the bed. I wanted to roll into a little ball, but found no power. Within seconds of lying down, I felt the exhaustion pressed upon me, forcing me into that dark world of sleep.

My pleasant and dreamless sleep was interrupted when I heard two voices arguing no less than five feet away from the foot of the bed. I groaned, pulling the pillow at the top of the bed over my head, trying my best to drown out the loudness.

"How can I trust a thing like you to just simply take her away and not drink her dry?"

"You can't, which is exactly why we are going nowhere with this conversation. You don't trust me, and I don't trust you. This leaves us in quite a predicament since you seem to be so attached to her already."

"I'm not attached, just worried for her safety. And you seem to be just a relentless as I."

"That's because it's my duty and desire to keep her safe from mutts like you."

"We're back to name calling again? I thought we finished that five minutes ago."

I couldn't handle it any longer. I snapped up on the bed, pillow in hand, and threw it where I guessed where they were. I hit right on target. The pillow dropped to the floor and revealed the puzzled faces of Desmond and Shayne. They had been standing close to each other, trying to intimidate the other. They were both the same height, so it was pointless for them to fight over who was taller. Their eyes turned to me when they realized I was the one who had thrown the pillow. I glared at them with menace, unable to hold back the annoyance of being awoken with them fighting…**again**!

"You two are absolutely ridiculous! You can't find anything better to do than fight? Give me a break. You two sound like kids fighting over a piece of candy. Grow up!" I shouted, trying to adjust to the lighting of the room. The lights were so bright that I was sure I would be blinded. Desmond and Shayne glanced to each other, as if looking for the answer on one another's face, but they quickly turned away and back to me. I sighed, shaking my head as I gathered my bearings before I decided to stand. I glanced to them to see both their eyes on me. "What? Now you're both quiet?"

Neither of them replied, but continued to stare at me with blank looks. I shook my head as I climbed off the large bed. They were both standing in the doorway, so I had to push them out so I could pass. They both seemed confused as I walked past them, down the hall, and down the stairs. They both just watched in confusion as I pretended like they didn't exist. Good. It was time for them to start thinking about other people rather than bickering every moment. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, all eyes turned to me. All of the young men I had met only hours ago, minus Troy, were sitting in the large living room, watching television. I wasn't going to complain that Troy wasn't in the room. I hadn't received anything from him but a dark glare that clearly said he didn't like me.

Craig—one of the werewolves that were fighting over food in the kitchen earlier—stood as soon as I walked into the room. His black hair was almost covering his eyes, making him look mysterious in a few ways. He had changed his ripped pants into something less shredded, but was still shirtless like the last time I had seen him. He smiled at me, pushing his hair from his eyes, and I almost gasped at their color. I had gray eyes with a little green, but he had **real **gray eyes. Without knowing it, I had taken a step away from him in surprise, but he took it the wrong way.

His kind smile had dropped into a frown, unpleased by my reaction. "Do I frighten you?" he asked.

I shook my head with wide eyes, unable to keep my eyes from his. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you; it's just that you have such...gray eyes that took me by surprise," I stuttered a bit, but made it through the sentence.

His smile returned, happy with my reply. "Ah, yes, the eyes," he began, flashing his eyes at me a second time as if he had done it a million times before. "It isn't very common for werewolves or humans to have this eye color. Yet you are surprised by my eye color when your eyes are almost as gray. Though, I must admit that little bit of green in yours is catchy," he commented with a sly smirk.

For one reason or another, I had a feeling Craig was hitting on me. I pretended like it didn't matter and returned the small smile. "Thanks, I guess." I didn't want to be _too_ kind.

"Craig, leave the poor girl alone. She's already had to deal with two yapping males who are fighting over who gets to take her home already," Joshua, the clown of the house, shouted over the television.

I looked around the room and found a clock hanging on the far wall. I gawked at it when it read 4:30 a.m. "Is that time correct?" I asked.

All six pair of eyes glanced to the wall at the same time. "Yeah," Derek, Joshua's twin, replied with some emotion, but not a lot. I was actually surprised to hear him reply before any of the others. He was the exact opposite of his brother when it came to personality. When he had replied, everyone's eyes turned to him.

"It speaks," Joshua mocked his brother as they sat on the couch. It amazed me how five large and muscled guys could sit on one couch. The couch was fair sized, but didn't look big enough to fit them, let alone five.

"I'm sure Shayne and—what's his name—will be down in any minute. The vampire needs to get somewhere where he can hide before the sun comes up, which should be less than a half an hour," Matt, the auburn haired fellow who was still sitting on the floor next to Eric, tried his best not to insult Desmond. His dark eyes connected with mine, and I felt that he was trying to beg me with his eyes to make Desmond leave. Out of all of the werewolves in the room, he looked like he was most tense and guarded of the group. He didn't trust vampires at all, and I could tell that just from a single glance.

I nodded my head as if he had said something. I turned when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Desmond was the first to come down the stairs, followed by Shayne. Both of them had serious masks on their faces when they entered the room.

Desmond opened the front door and held out his hand to me. "Come on, Grace. Let's get home before it's too late for me to be outside. I really don't wish to linger here any longer," he said.

I glanced to him, and then to Shayne who stood behind me. He had a tired, but sad look on his face, as if he had been defeated after a long struggle. "What's going on?" I asked before I took his hand.

Desmond glanced behind me to Shayne for a moment before returning back to me. "Shayne understands that you need to be with me," he answered reluctantly. Shayne's gaze dropped to the ground, trying to hide the emotions in his eyes as Desmond spoke.

"Okay," I said, not knowing what else to say. I turned and waved to the group of werewolves. Surprisingly, they all returned the gesture. I began to walk past Shayne, but turned suddenly and threw myself against him for a hug. He staggered for second, taken aback by my actions. I wrapped my arms around his large body, giving him a big hug. He slowly returned it, as if unsure of what to do. "Thank you, for everything," I whispered into his chest.

I felt him smile as he tightened his hold around me when he said, "You're welcome,"

I pulled away and smiled up at him. He was taller than I would ever be. "I'll see you again?" I asked.

His smiled widened, and he nodded his head. "That was part of our deal," he said, glancing to Desmond. I had a feeling that most of the people in the room were smiling, but I knew that Desmond was not one of them. When I turned, I saw him glaring over me and to Shayne. I grabbed his hand, knocking him out of his glaring contest with Shayne. As soon as his eyes turned to me, they softened somewhat.

He sighed as he shook his hand, lifting me up into his arm with a single sweep. "I don't know why I deal with this," he mumbled, walking out the front door and into the misty morning. We had but a small amount of time before the sun would show its bright and shining colors.

"You got me there," I agreed, hoping I would get a smile from him. I succeeded. I glanced over his shoulder and waved to Shayne as he stood in the doorway. He smirked and waved back.

"Now all we have to do is get back before the sun comes up, right?" I asked.

I felt Desmond's hold on me tense. "I take it that someone told you?"

I nodded as I heard the door close behind us. "Think we'll make it?" He smirked at my question. It was my turn to tense. Something about his smile sent shivers down my spine now that I knew what he was.


	21. An Unexpected Visitor

**Hey all! Awesome job with the comments! Thanks so much!**

**Chapter 21**

An Unexpected Visitor

The cold fog of the night was beginning to fade, letting the morning mist take over in its place. The sun was just on the verge of rising, letting light just barely appear over the distant hills and mountains. It was a beautiful sunrise; the first for me, since I couldn't remember what the sun was like. Desmond was still carrying me when we reached his porch, which surprised me because I had been practically jumping in his arms due to his tickling. He had found within the first two minutes of the return home that I was very ticklish, especially around my torso.

He was smirking as he opened the door with one hand, which I found impressive because I wasn't that light, but your average weight seventeen-year-old. But as soon as the door opened the slightest bit, he tensed, and the happy smirk on his face faded and was replaced with something around the lines of disturbed, or perhaps upset.

I cocked my eyebrow at his sudden change in character. "Desmond?" I said his name in a quiet voice. He didn't reply, but stared into the house through the small crack in the door, acting like some robber was in his house. Maybe there was. I felt his body begin to turn away from the house, and just as he was to, the door swung open, revealing Dawn. Her face was unhappy, but her eyes were full of worry. I automatically tensed, feeling like something very wrong was about to happen.

"Desmond," she said in a slightly seething tone. "How nice of you to return home right before the sun rises."

I didn't understand why she was being so hostile when we had just returned, but as soon as I saw her eyes narrow at Desmond, I knew something was wrong. I looked to Desmond to find the answer, but saw nothing but a very blank face.

Ivan appeared behind Dawn with the same expression she had. "It's about time you showed up. Our guest has been very...impatient." He sounded like he was biting his tongue to try and say something nice. I tried to look around the two bodies that were blocking the entrance, but found it impossible to move in Desmond's tight hold, which was gradually getting tighter by the moment.

"Yes, Desmond, what could you have possibly been doing when dawn is so close at hand? I don't know many vampires who take such risks." A voice that felt like a cold winter storm spoke from behind Dawn and Ivan. His voice made me feel cold and small—and in more than one way—frightened. Goosebumps were beginning to form on my arms, and I wasn't surprised if I was shaking in Desmond's arms.

Dawn and Ivan moved from blocking the door, revealing the owner to the voice. He was sitting on the couch, the largest, with a wide smirk on his lips. As soon as my eyes locked on him, I felt the coldness and fear level go up a few notches. He looked like a young man, no more than 21, but I knew it was different as soon as my eyes laid on him. I clung tighter to Desmond's shirt, feeling as if he was my security blanket.

"Bryce," Desmond said with distaste, even though it was added with a slight nod of the head, a kind gesture. Bryce stood from his place on the couch and walked over to us, each step suffocating me more and more. His eyes were stuck on me, and something in his eyes told me his intentions were not kind, but held many promises. "What are you doing here?" Desmond asked. From the look on his face, he didn't like Bryce. I sure as hell didn't like him, and I hadn't even been introduced.

Bryce's gaze finally left me, and I felt as if I could breathe normally once more. His sinister smile stayed on his face while he walked closer to the rest of us. He gave a nonchalant shrug, not really answering Desmond's question. Desmond set me on the ground and pushed me behind him, sheltering me from Bryce. I peeked around his body to see Bryce stop less than a foot from him, still smiling.

"You—Desmond—should know exactly why I'm here," he said.

Desmond's whole body tensed, and that one movement made me feel more frightened than before. "Explain yourself, Bryce," Desmond demanded in a harsh voice, probably hiding the fear or worry.

Bryce chuckled, and the sound made me begin to shake. "Cain asked me to come and check on his dear Grace. He has been thinking about his wife-to-be constantly, and has been wishing each day for her to be by his side...for all eternity," he said.

That pushed something inside me, something that forced all the feelings out so that anger could replace them all. I knew I had felt anger before, but not like this. I practically knocked Desmond over as I pushed him out of the way so that I could face Bryce, a glare now plastered on my face. I pointed a finger at him as I said, "Wait just a minute. I am no one's wife-to-be, and I sure as hell don't plan on changing that any time soon. I don't care if this person is Prince Charming, or has the face of a god. So you can go back and tell your dear Cain that he can forget about it and find himself someone else, 'cause I sure don't plan on marrying anyone I've never even met before, let alone anyone I _do_ know right now."

Bryce's smirk was now replaced with both shock and confusion, but more confusion than anything. I think the shock was because I was standing up for myself when I had just been terrified of him seconds before.

I let out of gasp of surprise when Desmond's arm slid around my waist while his other covered my mouth, making sure my words were muffled. I tried to tell him to let go, but, of course, they were all just babble.

Bryce continued to stare at me with a slightly open jaw, his eyes wider than normal, looking like he was truly speechless. Maybe it wasn't very common for anyone other than Desmond to stand up for themselves when it came to Bryce.

Silence filled the room—one of those tense silences—and I hated it. Had I really just done something that surprising? Was Bryce more powerful than I thought? Or maybe I was just being gutsy. Anger always seemed to make people more confident, so maybe that's why I wasn't surprised at the moment.

Bryce knocked himself out of his shocked/confused state, and that devilish smirk returned. A light bulb must have flashed in his mind, because his smile only seemed to grow, and Desmond grew tense. Ivan and Dawn remained standing next to Desmond and me, showing that they would protect us if Bryce had anything funny up his sleeve.

Bryce let out a burst of laughter, and the sound made us all tense. He wiped invisible tears from his eyes as the laughter quieted, and his eyes moved back to Desmond. His eyes were full of amusement. "Desmond, you have done something to this girl, something that has changed her. What is it? Do tell." He was demanding more than insisting.

I heard Desmond gulp loudly. This was **not** good. We were in a bind either way. I had no idea who this Cain person was, and I didn't want to know, but I had a feeling that was not in my power since he obviously had some power if he had a scary servant like Bryce. And if I had met Cain before, had I liked him? Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. I shook that thought from my head. I knew that wasn't the case if he had people like Bryce working for him. If any of his other henchmen were like Bryce, I didn't want to ever encounter them.

Dawn and Ivan finally moved away from us, feeling Bryce was not going to attack or threaten us. They moved past Bryce, moving toward the living room, but making sure that their eyes never left his form. They both sat next to each other on the big, black leather couch, clasping their hands together in an unbreakable bond.

I couldn't stand lying any longer, and Desmond wasn't about to say anything from the looks of it, and I wanted Bryce to leave. "I fell on the concrete and got a concussion...I don't remember anything," I said quietly and quickly. Well, it wasn't the whole truth, but it was better than nothing. I glanced up to Desmond. His face was both confused with a hint of disapproval. I went to look at Bryce next—to see if he believed me—and surprisingly his face was blank, but I knew he was thinking. I crossed my fingers mentally that this idea of mine would work.

Bryce shook his head as he closed his eyes. He suddenly looked tired. When his gaze opened, he locked his eyes on Desmond. "This news is not going to please Cain, Desmond. You've been irresponsible and careless. Perhaps it is just as well if I take her with me now and make things easier for the both of us."

My breath caught in my throat. I wanted to take my words back. I didn't want to go with him, to go be this Cain's wife. I wanted to stay with _him_. I wanted to be with Desmond. I felt foolish thinking it, but when I did stop and wonder about it, Desmond really was something more than a security blanket. I felt safe and wanted around him, unlike anything I've ever felt before. My eyes widened when it hit me hard—harder than anything before. Was this... love? Was this how it felt? I opened my mouth to object, but Desmond beat me to it as he stepped in front of me once more, blocking me from Bryce.

"You can't take her," he said, voice suddenly strong.

Bryce raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said I'm not letting you take her," he repeated, his voice fierce.

Bryce's eyes narrowed. I'm not sure if it was because he was surprised or because he was mad, but either way he looked like he was thinking hard. All was silent once more, and the power in the room was suddenly thick.

I gasped as I felt the same thing I had felt at the werewolves' place, the same intense and invisible power. The goose bumps on my arms returned, and the sudden inability to breathe washed over me like unseen water. It was the exact same feeling I had felt when Desmond and Shayne had first encountered each other. It was that otherworldly power, and I believe they called it their _aura_.

The powers clashed together in an invisible hit, and I fell to the ground, on my knees. I took deep breaths, trying to feel less light-headed, but the power only built upon me like some great water, suffocating me more. I felt Desmond bend down beside me, but couldn't really feel him at the same time. I knew he was there, touching my shoulder, but I felt nothing, only the great power that was flowing over me. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I tried to push the power away from me. Again—like last time—it was trying to force its way inside my body.

Desmond knelt beside me, speaking mute words. His lips were moving, but I could hear nothing. My eyes kept going in and out of focus, threatening to close if I didn't do something soon. Another wave of the power hit me, stronger than ever before, and I was suddenly on my back, screaming. I didn't know how much longer I was going to be able to hold off the power, but I knew **my** power wasn't going to last much longer. I shut my eyes, hoping that it would help to rid of the invisible force. It didn't. It made it even more powerful.

I clutched onto the closest thing to me, and that was Desmond's hand. I squeezed it, begging for him to get rid of this great force. But even his hold didn't help. I let out another scream as the force hit me hard once more, and another voice screamed with me. I could no longer fight it off. It pushed itself into me, flowed into me and coursed through my whole body. The next thing I knew, I was still lying on my back, but all the others had joined me on the ground.

Desmond was lying on his back on one side of me, while Bryce was on the other. They were both breathing quickly. I sat up—feeling more energized than before—to see that Dawn and Ivan were also on the floor, breathing like they had just been suffocating.

"What the hell just happened?" Bryce asked in a raspy voice. He coughed as he tried to sit up, but fell down onto his back once again.

My hands were shaking, my body feeling full of such power that I thought I could never have. I knew my eyes were wide with a mix of adrenaline and fear.

Desmond coughed beside me. "I don't know," he said as he sat up. They all looked like they were in pain, but why? "Dawn, Ivan, are you okay?" His voice was just as weak sounding as Bryce's.

They both nodded their heads from their places on the wood floor. "We're alright, just really...tired," Ivan replied, but had to take a break to take a breath.

Desmond looked to me, his eyes weary, but full of worry. "Are you okay?" he asked me, his voice suddenly soft.

I didn't know how to answer because I didn't know if I was alright. I felt fine, but was a truly alright? I felt tears begin to build in my eyes as fear clutched me. My head dropped; I couldn't stand to stare at him, his eyes so full of worry and weariness. I had done this to him, and yet he was asking me if I was alright.

"Grace?" he asked, his voice getting softer. His hand lifted and reached out to touch me.

I jerked away from him, pushing myself as far away from him as possible. "Don't touch me," I whispered. "I don't want to hurt you more than I already have." I felt my back come in contact with the wall, and I had nowhere else to move since I was stuck between Bryce and Desmond.

Desmond stared at me with hurt eyes, and I felt my heart clench. I had never seen such a look on his face. I wanted to crawl back over to him and hold him in my arms, but I knew that I couldn't, not after what had just happened. His eyes stayed on me, and I couldn't handle to stare at him any longer.

I felt everyone around me, where they were, how they were feeling, and **what** they were. I stared with wide eyes as I looked to Dawn and Ivan and saw that they had almost invisible outlines of wings coming from their backs. My breath grew faster as they both sat on their knees, checking one another to make sure they were alright. I stuttered as I said, "T-they're angels." They both turned their attention to me when they heard my words. They both glanced to each other with lost looks, but soon returned to me for answers.

Bryce groaned on the floor as he started to pick himself up, catching my attention. I screamed and jolted away from him. His eyes were now very red and his fangs were glinting as he clenched his teeth while pulling himself up. "You're...you're a vampire, too." I couldn't believe my eyes. How had I not noticed all of these things before? Was I really so blind?

A hand rested on my shoulder, and I screamed. But before I could push away from the hand, an arm surrounded my waist and pulled me to a hard and cool chest, embracing me. I didn't fight the embrace, and began to cry instead.

"Everything is fine now, Grace," Desmond's cool and kind voice whispered comfortingly in my ear while his hand stroked my hair. He spoke soft words that calmed me, erased the fear, and yet the tears continued to fall.

Bryce rose to his feet finally, finding enough power to get to his feet. "She has developed some very...unique powers, Desmond," he said, pausing to find the right word.

Desmond didn't say anything to him, but continued to comfort me while speaking soft, soothing words. "Everything is alright, Grace. I'm here for you. You're safe," he spoke. I wasn't the one who had been in danger, they were. I was the one who had done all of this, who had forced them all to their knees. What was I becoming?

"She can tell what we are, Desmond," Ivan said, sounding like he couldn't believe it himself. Desmond let out a loud sigh, but didn't reply.

Bryce took a step forward, and then took it back, looking like he couldn't decide what he wanted to do. I felt his eyes on my back, but ignored it and continued to hide my face in Desmond's shirt. "Her powers have finally shown...and yet I feel as if this should all go unsaid," he said.

I felt Desmond's head move to stare at Bryce. I was betting he was surprised by the vampire's words. I was. "Do you mean..." Desmond couldn't finish his sentence.

Bryce explained before he could say anything more. "It is not my job to inform Cain of her powers, it is yours. I shall leave it up to you to make the right decision...whichever that is…" his voice trailed off at the end, as if he couldn't believe his own words were coming from his mouth. Before he could say another world, or anyone else for that matter, smoke surrounded him, and like a magic, he was gone.

Dawn and Ivan were now up on their feet, holding each other for support. "Well, that was weird," Dawn commented, and that got a chuckle out of all of us. I wiped the tears from my face, trying to slow myself down. I took a few deep breaths, and that helped a lot. I was pulling myself together, which was always a good sign.

Desmond somehow lifted himself with me in arms, though I could tell he was struggling not to sway. "Thanks you two for closing the blinds for me. That was very considerate," he said, grateful.

Dawn and Ivan chuckled as they exchanged looks. "Like we had a choice; Bryce is no better with sun than you, if not less," Dawn said with a snigger.

"You two should get to bed. You two must be dragging after such a long night," Ivan said.

Desmond snorted. "You have no idea. I had to go deal with wolves, and then I found out that Grace practically tore her ankle off," he said, motioning for my ankle at the same time.

"I resent that. It's a sprain, not a break," I argued.

He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm sorry; I forgot that it was just a measly injury, and nothing more. Oh, and did I happen to mention that Shayne told me that you almost tore a ligament. That's worse than a break." He was daring me to argue. I didn't.

"Grace seems to be acting the same as ever. I'm glad this incident hasn't changed anything between the two of you," Dawn said with a smirk, winking at the two of us.

Desmond and I glanced at each other, and I felt heat immediately run to my face. I'm sure that if he could, he would have, too. We both turned our faces away nervously, and Dawn and Ivan laughed at our reactions.

"Have a nice snooze," Ivan joked when Desmond began to carry me up the stairs.

Desmond mumbled something under his breath. I think he said, _I will_, but I wasn't sure.

When we reached Desmond's room, he set me on the soft bed, and I automatically wanted to sink into the warm sheets, not caring if I had my shoes and day clothes on. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, making quite a ruckus, until he returned with a few ointments and wraps for my ankle.

I shook my head, a smile on my face. "You know, my ankle isn't _that_ injured. It really doesn't hurt that much," I said as I tried to convince him that I was fine.

He just rolled his eyes. "Why do you insist on making things harder for me?" he asked while knelt in front of the bed, undoing the wrap around my ankle.

The smile on my face grew when I thought of my answer. "Because it's my job," I said.

He laughed quietly, and that small sound sent shivers across my body. His laugh was very different from Bryce's, something that was both soothing and angelic. "How true," he commented while he took care of my ankle. The moment he touched it, I felt better.


	22. Explanations

**Chapter 22**

Explanations

While Desmond was taking care of my ankle—and taking his time—I kept thinking back to the events of the night/day. I kept asking myself _were all my other days this exciting_? Was I always running from something, even from myself? I pushed my troubled thoughts aside and went back to watching Desmond work very carefully on my ankle. This was getting ridiculous.

"Seriously, Desmond, it's not glass," I said with a groan.

He smiled up at me from his spot on the ground, a smile that said everything and nothing. "You'd be surprised how fragile you are, Grace. Compared to my kind, you're nothing but a twig, something that could be easily destroyed, even if we don't mean to hurt you. Werewolves are no different from us in strength, so when I found your scent heading straight for their home, I thought of the worse." His face was suddenly serious.

I shook my head with a small smile on my lips. _Guys..._ I thought to myself. "Like I said, I don't think I am much of a push-over," I said.

Desmond half chuckled, half snorted. "You're telling me." He then went back to wrapping my ankle, holding it very gently in his warm hands. I found it strange how his hands were warm at times, but freezing cold at others. When he was cold, his eyes were usually a darker shade, an almost dark brown color instead of his usually gold and copper. When he was warm his face had some color to it. But when he was cold he looked extremely pale. I figured that since he was a vampire it had something to do with how well fed he was at the time. It made sense to me.

Desmond noticed me staring at him and gave me a strange look. "What?" he asked, as if he were offended by my staring.

I blinked, coming out of my thoughts, not knowing that I had been staring. I apologized with a low, "Sorry," and then went back to staring at my ankle that was now fully wrapped with a new bandage. "Desmond?" I asked in a low voice.

He must have sense my discomfort, so he joined me on the bed and sat next to me on the soft bed. He slumped like me, copying my every move. He even rested his hands on his lap like mine.

I made sure to stare somewhere else while I spoke, afraid to meet his gaze. "What happened downstairs? I keep thinking about it, but nothing seems to fit," I said.

"What took place downstairs was not your fault. You didn't know of what you were capable of, and in many ways that is dangerous, but what happened downstairs was unexpected." He was trying to make me feel better, and if I had believed his words, maybe I would be feeling better.

I shook my head gently. "No, I mean, what did I do to you, all of you? One minute I felt like I was going to be crushed by some invisible force, and the next thing I knew you all were on the ground. What did I do to all of you?" I stared at my hands as I spoke, and I had a feeling my eyes were wide with fear of knowing the truth.

A warm hand reached up and touched my cheek, turning me to face him. His eyes locked with mine, and I suddenly forgot how to think. His eyes were warm, a feeling that enveloped me when I stared at his face. Behind those warm copper eyes were things hidden from me, things that only he knew of, and planned on keeping it that way. Too bad I couldn't read him the way he could obviously read me. "If you want to know if you hurt us, the answer is no. In fact, I think you did more of the opposite than anything." He ended with a smile.

I frowned. "Why do I find this hard to believe? You were, after all, on the ground, looking like you were twitching in pain."

He smiled again, a look that said 'I know something you don't know, but I just might tell you.' As he spoke he put an arm around my shoulders, a friendly gesture, and I took it the wrong way and tensed. "Oh, Grace, body language can be so misinterpreted. You said that you had felt some kind of power try to make its way inside your body, right?" he asked, keeping his arm over my shoulders. I nodded my head, still as tense as ever.

He continued. "Well, that power that you were feeling was all of our auras together, fighting each other. What I figure is that your power was extracting that power from us and calling it your own. In many cases, Grace, this power can be very useful," he stated.

I frowned even more. "Oh, yeah, like what?" For some reason I didn't really want to know.

His grip on my shoulders loosened a bit, but didn't leave from resting on them. "For one thing, when you have a great injury you can use that power to heal yourself. And if the case becomes serious, like life-threatening, that power could save your life. But if the power is used wrongly, then it may backfire and become your worst enemy," he explained.

I groaned, pulling my hands up to hide my face. "In short, I'm cursed," I grumbled.

He grabbed my hands and pulled them from my face, cupping them in his own. That caught my attention. "Some curses can become a person's greatest ally. Instead of thinking it as a curse, think of it as a tool, a thing you can use when in danger. And you don't need to worry about us. We are creatures who can withstand the greatest of pain, things humans could never stand. We're not called supernatural for nothing." Again, that damn smile of his.

I looked down, unable to stand his gaze any longer. "And what about the fact that I can see things that I am not supposed to be seeing?"

He stared at me with a lost look, releasing his hold on my hands. "Like what?" he asked, suddenly looking very curious.

I shrugged. "Like the fact that I could see Dawn and Ivan's wings when they weren't even out. I could see Bryce's red eyes." I shuddered at the memory of the crimson eyes staring at me like I was a prey, which to Bryce, I was.

Desmond was quiet for a long moment, lost in thought. "I do not know the answer to that, but I think it is a side-effect to your powers. Your body isn't used to having foreign power forced inside of it. Like I said, the human body is a very fragile thing compared to ours." Wow, he was good at coming up with ideas.

The sun was blocked out by the practically black window shades, which led me to my next question for my friendly vampire. "By the way, if you're a vampire, how come you're able to be awake while the sun is up? I thought vampires were vulnerable to sun." I thought it was a simple enough question.

He smirked at me, a tiny twitch of his lips. "Your memory wasn't completely erased if you remember that much information. But to answer your question, again, vampires with great power can withstand many things. I cannot sit out in the sun and get a tan, but I am able to remain awake and unharmed as long as I am not exposed to it for too long," he said. I was impressed myself that I had remembered that vampires couldn't be in the sun. For some reason it was an automatic idea when I thought of the word **vampire.** Desmond released his arm from around me and leaned back so that he was flat on the bed.

I stretched, yawning loudly, releasing the tension that I had been feeling while Desmond kept his arm around me. I followed Desmond and leaned back to lie on my back, staring up at the ceiling with slightly sleepy eyes. I could make patterns on the ceiling, and that made me feel even sleepier. A shiver ran down my spine, and I automatically looked to Desmond beside me. He was staring at me, his face blank, but his eyes full of warmth. Heat flew to my face, and I quickly averted my gaze back to the ceiling. He chuckled—probably from my embarrassment—and that made me blush even more.

"Are you tired?" he asked, pretending he didn't think my face was a red tomato. That question made me relax a bit, but I had feeling I was more tense around Desmond than any other person, and he knew it.

I summed up the courage to turn my face back to him and connect my eyes with his. I blinked, seeing all the different colors in his eyes. I nodded my head, too tired to speak words at this point. "But before I get some sleep I need to apologize to Dawn and Ivan for earlier," I said.

He was the one to frown this time. "Grace, you didn't do anything wrong. You don't owe them an apology, and they know that. You didn't hurt us, Grace, and I wish you would believe that," he said.

I sighed and replied, "I still feel bad. No matter how hard I try I keep seeing me as this monster who had forced you all on your knees because I couldn't control some strange new power that I have. And even if I had no control over it, I still want to apologize." I had a feeling no matter how many times I explained it to Desmond he would still think the same thing. He, like me, was as tough as a wall when it came to being convinced.

He did the same thing as me and sighed, releasing that bit of stress that he was holding in. "You're impossible," he mumbled under his breath, but I caught his words.

I smiled, sat up, and slapped his leg. Not hard, but enough to let him know that I was joking around. "I'll be back in second," I said.

"I'll come with you," he said, taking more time getting up than I had. I don't think he really wanted to go with me down the stairs, but I wasn't about to stop him if he wanted to follow me. Nope, no complaining from me.

"Jeeze, Desmond, you're slower than I am today," I joked, standing and waiting impatiently with a hand on my hip. He was taking a long time to move, or get to his feet at least. I hadn't seen him this tired and drained before. He was sitting, but he was slouched, his head hanging like it weighed twenty pounds more than it did.

"Yeah, the key word is '_day_'. I'm not used to being up at this time of day. The sun drains my power, leaving me slower and practically powerless if I haven't had enough blood to drink." He looked up as soon as he had said those last words, and he looked worried, afraid he had scared me. After the past few hours, I was tired of being scared. Maybe I was getting braver, but I had a feeling that being tired had something to do with it.

I smiled innocently, knowing that would be enough to convince him. "Don't worry; I'm too tired to be troubled by anything you say right now." I crossed my fingers that that would be enough to convince him. He gave a tired smile while glancing to the ground, but didn't comeback with any comment.

I stood standing for a moment while he just sat there looking tired, but I knew that if I stood for too long I would grow very impatient. I walked up to stand in front of him and did something that shocked him more than me. I held out my hand for him. He stared at it for a moment, as if he were contemplating on taking the hand at all, but made up his mind with a smirk and put his warm hand in mine. I pulled as hard as I could so that I could get him to his feet with force. Wrong move on my part. He weighed too much for me to pull him up, and he wasn't too eager to get up either, so I lost my balance and ended up falling forward. My body landed on his, forcing him back onto the bed with me on top of him.

"I'm sorry!" I started stuttering and saying over and over again as I tried to get off of him without hurting him. He could say that he was practically invincible all he wanted, but I knew for a fact—supernatural or not—guys had a weak spot, and my leg was just inches away from making him hurt. I lifted myself up enough so that I hovering over him with a hand on each side of his head. When I lifted my head I was only inches away from his face. My breath got caught in my throat, and I was officially frozen in place.

He stared up at me with tired eyes, almost to a point where I thought he was going to fall asleep with me hovering over him. For a moment it didn't seem like he was breathing, just like me, but I knew that I would need to breathe before he would. I started to move off of him, maneuver, if you will, but a hand on my shirt stopped me. I looked back down to see if I had actually hurt him, but before I could blink my shirt was jerked, and I was suddenly the one with my back on the bed. Desmond appeared in front of me—the one now hovering over me—an arm on each side of my head. He pushed my legs apart so that his body fit in between me, enough to lean across me. Now I really wasn't breathing.

His eyes still looked tired, but now I was thinking for different reasons. His hand lifted from beside my head and cupped my cheek. Oh, God, this had to be a dream. My eyes were growing heavy, so it couldn't be a dream, not yet. He thumb caressed my cheek gently while he stared down at me, seeming content now that his body was in between my legs. My eyes were growing heavier by the second.

"I have wanted to do this since I met you," he whispered, and his head slowly closed the space between us. It felt like forever before I felt the first bit of his hair touch my forehead, the first air of his breath against my face. I couldn't breathe as I felt his lips just centimeters away from mine. He stopped just barely about to touch my lips, and for a second I didn't think he was going to kiss me. If this was going to go on much longer, I was going to lose my mind.

Just as I was to say something, his lips lowered onto mine, and I found true bliss. His lips were warm and soft like silk. His hand cupped my face, held me in place as his lips covered mine in an innocent and gentle kiss. No tongue, no eagerness, just Desmond and my lips touching, caressing each other. He started to pull away, but my lips went with him, like a magnet. He smirked against my lips as he pressed back down so that my head was flat on the bed once more. He wasn't the eager one, I was. I wanted him to devour me, to take over every bit of me. I couldn't hold back the desire to touch him with something other than my lips, so I lifted my hand and touched his face, telling him that I wanted more from him. Instead of replying with my request, he pulled away. He pulled away just an inch, enough so that he could see my whole face.

I stared up at him with a feeling that I had never felt before. My heart was beating quicker than ever, my mind was running a million miles, and all of it kept coming back to how perfect he was. I caressed my thumb against his cheek like he had with mine, just to touch him. His skin felt like warm porcelain, as if he would break under my fingers.

Many emotions flowed through his eyes and across his face so quickly that I lost count. He saw something on my face that made his eyes grow soft for a moment. But as soon as it appeared, it was replaced with a sort of sadness. He pulled away from me, and I was left reaching for him, where my fingers had been touching him. He moved from in between my legs and moved away from me completely, like I was some kind of plague. His eyes were now wide and wild, as if he suddenly realized what he had done. He moved from staring at where he had left me on the bed, to the floor, his mouth slightly ajar.

I sat up so that I was sitting on my elbows. I was still slightly disoriented from his kiss. I said in a confused voice, "Desmond?"

His eyes still refused to meet mine and continued to stare at the ground and whispered, "I shouldn't have done that." He whispered and mumbled to himself so that I couldn't understand him.

"Desmond," I called out his name again, hoping to get his attention, but he turned his back on me, saying not a word. He walked away, leaving me on the bed with no clue of what was going on, or if I had done something to upset him. He walked into the bathroom, closed the door behind him, and locked it.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands clasped to each other while they rested in my lap, and I stared at the bathroom door, waiting for it to open. For an hour I sat like that, listening for the sound of the door unlocking—for any sound—but not one noise came from the bathroom. My body was beginning to get stiff from sitting for too long, and after an hour my body was screaming. My eyes were hurting from staring at the door for so long. It's funny what things will keep you wide awake when you had previously been practically dragging. I stood to my feet, and the joints in my legs cracked from staying so still for too long. I walked to the door, not making a sound, and quietly tapped on the door. I waited for a reply, but there was nothing. I tapped a little harder, waited, but was let down a second time.

I sighed, and turned away from the door. What had I done wrong? I hadn't said anything, so what was it that caused Desmond to act so strangely? I tried to ignore the worst scenario and turned for the door that would lead me downstairs. When I reached the bedroom door, I glanced back to the bathroom door, hoping, but found that it was useless to try and fight a vampire at this time of day. So I left, leaving Desmond locked in the bathroom and went downstairs to talk to Dawn and Ivan.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I spotted the two fallen angels in the kitchen, laughing and goofing off. They were 'making' sandwiches. They were smearing each other with mayonnaise more than anything. How I hadn't noticed their screams earlier, I didn't know.

Ivan finally noticed me standing right outside the large kitchen and smiled at me with mayo on his nose. "Oh, hey, Grace. Care to join us in making lunch?" he asked, grabbing another finger of mayo.

I smirked and shook my head. "No, thanks, I think I'll pass."

He attacked Dawn with the finger and got her on the cheek, and she screeched. "You're missing out," he said through a laugh. When I saw them, I felt jealousy. Was this what it looked like to be in true love? Dawn and Ivan stopped what they were doing, noticing the frown on my face.

Dawn said, "Grace, are you okay?" Ivan released his hold around her waist to let her walk up to me.

I looked to the ground with my arms crossed in front of my chest. I whispered, "I'm fine." Yeah, like that was really going to convince them.

"Like hell you are. I can tell when someone is or isn't okay, and you are not fine. Tell me what's going on. Is it Desmond? Is he being a bastard again?" She asked the last question like she knew that one was going to be the answer.

I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it. "More or less, but that's not the reason I came down here."

That stopped the unhappy glare on her face, and for a moment she looked surprised. "Alright, shoot," she said.

I sighed again, releasing the tension that had built up in my shoulders once more. "I came to apologize for earlier." Both Dawn and Ivan looked lost or flabbergasted, whichever it was, they were both speechless. "I know that it wasn't my fault—not really—but I still feel bad. Desmond already explained to me that it was out of my control, but I can't help but feel sorry for causing the commotion earlier." I really did hate apologizing, but I found that I felt somewhat better afterwards.

Dawn took the last step toward me and wrapped her arms around me for a hug. "You humans are so eccentric. I faintly remember little sparks of my time as a human, but they are mostly of that dork over there," she said, pointing to Ivan behind her.

I snorted, holding back a laugh. "I guess that's better than not remembering anything...like me," I ended with a murmur.

Dawn pulled away and cupped my face in her hands. "In time, it will all come back to you," she assured me. Dawn was the few whose words I could believe in. Maybe it was because we were both girls, but I didn't want to be sexist. I knew it was more than that in the back of my mind. She was someone I could bond with, who I could really open up and talk to. I had known her before; I could feel it. She pulled away and went back to attack Ivan with the bit of mayo she had on her cheek. The food fight between the two love-bugs didn't last long. Ivan surrendered when Dawn got out the ketchup and started spraying it on his white shirt. Red and white don't mix.

"So, what are you up to now?" she asked, wiping the white condiment off of her face with a towel.

I thought about it for a moment, and finally said, "I was actually thinking of going for a walk."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? Where do you plan on going?" I was hoping she wasn't going to be like a babysitter for me.

I shrugged again. "I don't know. I met a few new friends in the woods, so I was thinking of visiting them."

Dawn's eyes went wide. "You mean the werewolf pack?" Great, Desmond had told the whole story. Well, I wasn't about to lie.

I nodded my head. "Yeah," I said.

She sighed louder than was necessary. "Fine, but if Desmond finds out and gets mad, I'm not making up excuses for you," she said.

I smirked. "That's fair. I won't be gone too long." And before either of them could say a word, I ran out the door, making my way to my new friends. Maybe they could cheer me up in this down time.


	23. A Day with the Pack

**Chapter 23**

A Day with the Pack

I remembered the way to the werewolves' house pretty well, even though it was dark before. The forest was thick, full of moss and growth all along the ground so that it looked like everything was green. The sun was shining through the thick trees, creating sun beams in long, shadowy lines. It was just on the edge of being cold, but the morning mist and chill was slowly fading. I hugged myself, shivering, but not because I was cold. Aftershock was taking its effect on me, and although I wanted to deny it, I was just on the verge of crying. I was so confused, still lost as to why Desmond had acted so strangely.

I shook my head, closing my eyes as just the thought of his name made me think of his kiss, the way his lips were so soft, moving and connecting so innocently to mine. Everything was so perfect that moment, and he had to go and ruin it. The way he looked when he pulled away looked so frightened, so full of worry. Was it me that was so frightening, or was it a thought that had struck him? I didn't know, and I wouldn't until he came out of that bathroom. But I wasn't about to wait around for him to come out, not while Dawn and Ivan were looking so perfect and happy together.

I looked up when I sensed something in front of me, and a smile slowly grew on my face. The two story house was standing in all its glory, surrounded by trees with the sun shining on it, illuminating the growing moss on its roof. I quickened my pace, wanting to see the smiling faces of my new friends. I stopped before I took the first step on the stairs to see a few cars parked in the front. I hadn't noticed the driveway before, strangely. I shoved aside the idea of going to look at the cars and decided to continue up the steps.

I walked up the five steps and knocked on the door. It took a minute before I finally heard some movement in the house. It sounded like someone was falling down the stairs. I held my breath while someone unlocked the chains on the door. The door opened to reveal a very tired Shayne. His eyes were droopy, just barely open. His hair was sticking out in many directions, proving that he had been sleeping. Oh, and the fact that he was nude except for the red and black silky boxers. His eyes went wide as soon as he noticed it was me. Mine were probably just as wide, and I had a feeling my face was red.

"Grace?" he said in a completely shocked voice.

I turned my attention to the ground, trying not to be distracted by his lack of clothes. I replied with a low, "Yeah, hey." I was too embarrassed to say more.

He opened the door wider. "What are you doing here? I thought I just saw you a few hours ago. Is everything alright?" he asked.

I looked up from the ground with my head still pointing down. "Yeah, everything's fine. I just needed to see a friendly face."

He smiled softly. "Would you like to come in?" he asked.

I returned the smile with my own smirk. "I didn't walk all the way out here for nothing," I said.

He laughed. "I suppose not. I'm just surprised you're on my porch at 7 in the morning. I've only been asleep maybe three hours."

My smile faded. I turned, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I can come back another time." I turned to leave. His hand caught my upper arm before I could take a step.

"No, don't leave," he said quickly, almost panicked. He released my arm when I looked back at him. "I mean, I don't mind that you woke me up. Besides, you look like you could use some food. Would you like some breakfast? I could make pancakes," he offered, ending with a smile.

I smiled back, nodding my head. "Pancakes sound nice," I said, taking a step into the warm house. I shivered as my body reacted to the sudden warmth. Shayne closed the door after I walked into the house, making my way to the kitchen. Food sounded **really **nice. Shayne followed me into the large kitchen, practically stepping on my heels the whole time. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants that were lying on the couch and slipped them on. I sat on the high stool and rested my chin on my hands with my elbows popped up while I watched him move around the kitchen, grabbing random utensils and ingredients quicker than needed. He kept dropping things, and then cursing. I chuckled, and that stopped him for a second. He looked up from his spot on the ground, grasping the bowl he had dropped.

He smiled with me. "What?" he asked, completely oblivious to how funny he was acting.

"Slow down. You keep dropping things because you're in such a rush. Don't get me wrong—it's funny to watch. But I'm not starving. Here, let me help you. Tell me what I can do to help out," I said, sliding off of the tall stool.

"But, uh-"

"No 'buts'! Let me lend a hand. Besides, I need to learn how to cook again, right?" I asked, grabbing an egg and cracking it in the bowl.

He smiled and stood up. "Heh, yeah, sure," he said.

I glanced around to scan over the ingredients he had pulled out and set on the counter. "So, I know we're using all of these things, but what comes first?" I asked sheepishly.

"Seriously, all you have to really do is measure and mix them all together," he said, adding a few cups of flour in the large bowl.

I laughed. "Seriously?"

His smiled was plastered on his face, and it didn't look like it was about to fade any time soon. I liked that about Shayne. "Seriously, it's really not that hard."

I scoffed. "Easy for you to say. I didn't know guys like you cooked," I said quietly, not wanting to offend him while I added some butter into the large bowl.

He shrugged beside me. "Werewolves need to eat a lot, and not just junk food, but decent meals multiple times a day. We have _really_ high metabolisms. That's why we look in such good shape."

"Yeah, you're telling me," I mumbled to myself, not expecting him to hear.

"So you're admitting we're good looking," he teased, giving my side a nudge with his elbow. It nearly made me drop the vegetable oil I was about to put in the bowl.

I casted him a look that said _you know the answer to that question_. "You know you're good looking. I'm sure tons of women go all googily-eyed whenever you're around them. I'm a female, attracted to the opposite sex, so why would I be any different?" I felt a bit of heat float to my cheeks. God, I hoped I wasn't as red as I thought I was. I didn't take my eyes off the bowl as I added some salt. I could feel his gaze on me, feeling like a great weight that would pierce through me. And the scary thing is that I liked it, liked the way he stared at me.

"Wow, that's a pretty honest answer," he murmured, grabbing the bowl to stir it all together.

I turned around to lean my back against the counter, resting my hands next to me while I stared at the ground. I replied in low voice, "I don't like to lie."

He stopped beating the ingredients together about then, like I had just slapped him. I looked up, and he was staring at me, his face blank. I quickly returned to staring at the ground, feeling heat return to my face again within moments. He scooted past me to get to the burner, which was warming up and melting the bit of butter in the pan. He took a large spoon about 3 tablespoons worth and poured it on the pan. I walked back over to the stool and sat down, sitting my elbows on the counter and resting my chin on my hands once more while I watched his backside as he made the pancakes.

About that time, a stomping noise came from the stairs in the other room. Eric, the blonde, was rubbing the sleep from his eyes, practically tripping over himself as he made his way to the kitchen. I felt my face go hot as he too had no shirt on, but a long pair of sleeping shorts. He yawned as he spoke, "Mmmm, what's cooking?"

I smiled while trying not to look nervous and said, "Pancakes."

He returned the smile with a tired one of his own. "What a pleasant surprise. I see Shayne decided to kidnap you from the vampire again."

Shayne dropped the spoon, which was full of batter, and turned abruptly. "I did not! She came here all on her own freewill!" he sputtered.

Eric gave him a look, raising one eyebrow at the suddenly nervous Shayne, but it wasn't a look of convincing. "Suuuure, whatever you say, buddy." Shayne glared at him, but turned back to making the pancakes while mumbling incoherent things under his breath. Eric laughed as he took a spot in the stool beside me. "I was just kidding, pup." More noises came from the stairs, but a lot more feet this time.

"I smell something good," Joshua, the jokester of the pack, said as he appeared in the kitchen, his identical twin brother, Derek, just behind him. They, too, had no shirts on._ What was it with these guys and walking around half-naked?! _

"Shayne's the best cook in the house," Craig, the gray eyed beauty, commented from the other entrance to the kitchen, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, making his muscles even bigger. Nice.

"I hope it's almost done. I'm starved!" Dean, the curly haired splendor shouted from the other room. He and Matt, the auburn haired werewolf, sat in the other room and turned on the TV. Joshua and Derek left the kitchen to join them on the large couch in the living room. Craig's stomach made a loud grumbling sound, and he sighed, turning away from the aroma of the food to walk to the other room and join the rest of the pack.

I counted them all and found one missing. "Where's Troy?" I really didn't care for Troy. He obviously didn't like me, but it was common courtesy to ask why a member of the pack was missing. Shayne didn't turn his front side away from the burner as he cooked, but I saw his back muscles tense. It made me blush, my mouth just barely dropping open.

Eric cleared his throat a little too loudly. That knocked me out my trance. "Troy is at the hospital," he said, and for the first time since I had met him his voice sounded sad.

I turned my attention to him. "The hospital? Why?" I asked quickly.

He turned his gaze to the counter, the sad look still on his face. "His girlfriend is in a coma."

I gasped and said, "Oh, no..." I was literally speechless. What was I to say to that? I'm sorry; I wish he was here so I could give him a hug?

"Yeah, he's pretty bummed about it. Lately he's been more violent than usual. But I can understand why he's so upset. It's not easy losing someone you love."

I frowned down at the counter, thinking about the glare Troy had given me the other night. He looked so upset when he saw Shayne holding me. Maybe that was why he was so hostile toward me. Maybe he was seeing what he used to have with his girlfriend, when she wasn't in a coma.

Shayne placed a large plate of pancakes that were stacked high on the counter. "Food's ready," he said, his eyes pointed to the ground. I frowned even harder from the sad look on his face. He looked as if his dog had just been run over. He turned without saying a word, exiting out of the kitchen as the others made their way to get some food.

"Aren't you going to grab some food before they devour the entire plate?" Eric asked, grabbing a plate and at least five pancakes. He snatched the syrup that was sitting on the counter next to the pancakes. The kitchen was suddenly crammed with large guys, all fighting to get to the pancakes first.

I shook my head as I hopped off the stool. "Maybe later," I murmured, and followed out the exit Shayne had gone. I didn't see him in the living room, so I continued my way up the stairs. When I got to the hall, I walked all the way down until got to his door on the right. The door was closed, so I hesitated for a moment before I knocked on the door, very softly.

A soft voice murmured, "Come in," and I opened the door. Shayne was sitting on the side of his large bed, which took up most of the room. He looked up at me, and then let his eyes return back to the floor without muttering a word. I walked over to him and sat down next to him on the bed. "What's up?" I asked.

His eyes didn't move from the ground as he spoke. "It's Troy," he began.

"Oh?"

"He doesn't like you."

I sighed. "I figured as much. I don't know why." I really didn't know. There were so many ideas as to why Troy hated me.

"Sure you do," he said, glancing at me from his peripherals. "You hang out with that leech." He had said it with distaste, and I thought I saw him cringe when he said _'leech'_ like it was foulest thing in the world.

"You mean Desmond?"

He flinched when I said his name. "Yeah, that. Troy thinks that you're a spy or something, and that you're going to find some way to stab us in the back."

I sighed, but gave him warm eyes. "Shayne, you know I wouldn't do that. You're very...different, and I like that about you. And plus, I don't deceive my friends. I've decided it's a rule in my book from now on."

He smiled, and that smile sent shivers down my spine, ones that I got whenever Desmond was around. This smile was more innocent than Desmond's, but it was almost as beautiful...almost. "How many rules do you have in this 'book' of yours?"

I shrugged my shoulders with a smile on my face, leaning back so that my arms popped me up. "I don't know, but I can have as many as I want. But I can't break them, and if I do, I'm cursed."

He chuckled, sitting a little straighter. "Oh, we don't want you to be cursed." He paused for a moment, glancing down my leg that was outstretched. The wrap around my ankle was beginning to unravel, but I paid no mind to it. My ankle still hurt like a whale had fallen on it, but I hated to whine. I detested it from others, so why would I be a hypocrite? "How's your ankle?" he finally asked.

"It still hurts, but I'm surviving," I said, refusing to look at my ankle. It was swollen, and truthfully, it didn't look pretty. I think I would have preferred to just have a cast to hide all the bruising that had appeared overnight.

He stood up from his spot on the bed and carefully stepped over me. "I think it's time for a new bandage. What did you do to it? It looks like you trudged it through a swamp," he commented, taking off my shoe **very** carefully. He was almost as bad as Desmond. He began to unwrap it while I watched him be as careful as I had ever seen him.

"The woods are a very muddy place. I think the fact that it is always moist and smoggy plays a large role."

"I think you're right," he agreed with a smirk. He finished removing the wrap, revealing the nasty looking ankle.

I cringed. "That really doesn't look good," I said through a mumble. I turned my eyes to my lap, having one heck of a time trying not to be grossed out by my own ankle. I gasped when I felt warm fingers trail gently across the top of my cold foot.

"Does that hurt?" he asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

I shook my head, having trouble finding words as his fingers continued to trace my swollen ankle. It felt_ amazing_. I gulped loudly, trying to discover my voice. My voice came out in a whisper as I replied, "No, a bit of the opposite." Okay, that was an understatement. It was a lot more than just a bit of the opposite.

"Your feet are so cold," he whispered, tracing the bone on my ankle. His hand moved to my Achilles heel, and that's when I gasped in pain. His hand shot back like I had shocked him. "Did that hurt?"

I nodded my head with my eyes close. "I think that's where I tore the ligament," I said in a strained voice.

"I don't think you would be walking if it was the Achilles tendon, or if you tore a ligament completely. Does it hurt more here?" He put a little pressure right behind my ankle bone.

I gasped again, this time holding in a scream. "Yeah, that's it," I said quickly, breathing quickly to reduce the pain.

"I thought so. It's your _Peroneus Longus_," he observed, sitting my foot carefully on the ground and standing to his feet.

"Look who's the smart one," I mocked, but the pain in my voice hid the humor.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to get some equipment to treat it. We need to elevate it and get some ice on it." He was gone from sight after that. How was it that my ankle all of a sudden started hurting? It wasn't hurting **that** much when I was walking through the woods. Sure, it hurt, but not like this.

Eric appeared in the doorway with a plate in his hand. "I saved you some pancakes." He then noticed my ankle, all black and blue. He gave a wincing look with a mix of revulsion. "That looks horrible," he commented, sitting the plate of pancakes down on the dresser nearest to the door.

"Thanks a lot," I muttered, still trying to conceal the pain in my voice.

He smiled at me from the doorway. "Don't worry; Shayne will take care of you."

And right on cue, he walked in, pushing Eric out of the way. "Here we are; all the wraps and support for a hurt ankle," he said, kneeling next to my ankle.

"I'll put the pancakes downstairs for you. They'll be waiting for you in the refrigerator," Eric said, seizing the plate once more.

"Thanks, Eric," I said through a gasp as Shayne lifted my ankle and told me to put it on the bed so that it was elevated.

"No problem," he said, and then he was gone.

I leaned back on my elbows as Shayne sat on the bed, next to my ankle. He lifted it so that it was resting on his lap, and it didn't hurt as much this time. He took a warm washcloth and cleaned the dirt away from my skin. I couldn't tell the dirt from the bruises—that's how bad it was. He was very careful as not to put me in any more pain. It took him less than two minutes to finish cleaning my foot, put on some solonpas patches, which strongly smelled of mint, and top it off with a new wrap.

He set my foot back on the bed with a smile of approval on his face. "There, all done."

"Those solonpas patches make my skin tingle." It was a strange sensation. It felt like my ankle was beginning to go numb, which I think was the point.

"Would you like breakfast now?" he asked, that innocent smile of his perfect.

I returned the smile. "Sure."

He walked over to my side and slipped his arms under my body and lifted me into his warm arms. He had finally put on a shirt, but even through his shirt I felt his warm skin that was hotter than any normal human. I rested my hands in my lap as he carried me out of the room, down the hall, down the stairs, and to the living room where all of the others were. They all had put on some clothes.

"Okay, everyone move so that Grace can rest her ankle," Shayne demanded. I opened my mouth to tell him it was okay if they just scooted down the couch, but like obedient wolves, they moved to the floor. He set me on the couch so that I was lying down with my head resting on the arm of the couch.

"You guys really didn't have to move for me. Besides, there's still a lot of room for some of you to sit on the couch," I said, glancing to the TV to see that they were watching _The Discovery Channel. _It was about predators vs. prey. Go figure. They glanced up to Shayne, as if asking for permission, and he nodded his head. My jaw just about dropped. **Werewolves were so weird.**

Eric moved up to sit at the end of my feet. Matt moved to sit next to him, and Craig joined him. Dean, Joshua, and Derek remained sitting on the floor. Shayne had disappeared into the kitchen to fetch my pancakes, as well as his. He came back moments later with two plates of pancakes. "Care for breakfast?" he asked.

I popped up so that he could sit down, but my lower body was still on the couch. "Thank you," I said, taking the pancakes from him. He sat behind me, and I rested my back against him. It was strange watching animals tracking prey while I ate. Well, there's a first time for everything.

Matt sat up and turned to us on the couch. "Hey, we should take Grace to the coast." Wow, that was random, and especially for Matt since he was supposed to be the guarded one of the pack.

Joshua and Eric shouted at the same time, "Yeah!"

Shayne glanced down at me beside him, and I had to look up to really see his face. "Are you up for it?"

I was suddenly very nervous. What would Desmond think? He would probably get pretty angry if I left without explaining where I was going. But I really didn't want to go ask him either, especially after what had happened this morning. "I don't know. I'm not sure..." I didn't want to say that I had to ask permission, because then it would sound like Desmond owned me.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Eric said with a pouting face.

"Yeah, and then we could have a bonfire on the beach—one that is **huge**," Dean suggested, suddenly looking just as eager as the rest, except Derek. He just looked like he really didn't care either way, but I could see a small smile beginning to form on his lips.

"I don't know you guys."

"Come on; ditch the bloodsucker for one night!" Joshua shouted even though he was just feet away from me.

"I-I guess I could sneak away for just one night. But I better be back before it's too late, or I'll be in big trouble," I finally caved in.

Shayne put his arm around my shoulder. Again, I felt heat rush to my face. "Don't worry; you'll be safe with us. I won't let anything bad happen to you." I looked to see that his pancakes had magically disappeared from his plate. Wow, that was fast.

Derek sat up and brought one leg up to rest his arms on it. "What about Troy?" Oh, that was certainly another problem to consider.

Shayne shrugged, and it made my body move down further. "If Troy comes home before we return, we'll just tell him the truth. We haven't been out of the house for a while, and we need a break from scouting forest."

Why were they scouting the forest? I would ask later. For now, I had to worry about Desmond and how to deal with him when he found out about this trip with the werewolf pack. I knew one thing; this would end badly either way.


	24. Beaches & Bonfires

**I can't even begin to thank you all for the support. I promise, when I get the time, I will write back to all of your comments. ;) And if you want to check me out on , go to my profile. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 24**

Beaches & Bonfires

We were all out and in the two _very_ packed trucks within an hour. As soon as the idea of going to the beach had sparked amongst the werewolves, they were all ecstatic. I hadn't even finished my pancakes by the time they had packed the trucks. Apparently I was the slowpoke of the day, and they were shoving it in my face, telling me to hurry up and eat the two pancakes on my plate faster. Well, it was mostly Joshua and Eric.

But the thing that took the most time was trying to find me a bathing suit and some other clothes. I argued that I didn't need one, but they refused to take no as an answer. We ended up finding some of Troy's girlfriend's lying around, though I didn't ask where they had found them. They had found some swimwear that actually covered up my chest, but was disappointed when they gave me a pair of short shorts, which weren't even mine. I debated on that as well. I didn't want to take someone's stuff without their knowing—especially if they were in a coma. Shayne had told me that I didn't need to worry. And besides, it was just my size. I caved in, too tired to fight with any of the eccentric wolves.

"Don't worry; Troy won't find out about any of this," Eric kept assuring me as I bit on the tips of my fingernails. I had a really bad feeling that something wrong was going to happen. It was that gut feeling, and it was usually right. I sighed, climbing into the giant truck. Dean was driving one, stuffing most of the others in the large bed. I rode with Shayne in his big Chevy, Eric on my other side so that I was forced into the middle. I hadn't noticed how big they were until I was stuffed between the two of them. Shayne's whole truck bed was full of beach chairs, beach games, and wood. I was impressed the truck could handle so much.

"How long a drive is it to the beach?" I asked through a yawn. I could feel Shayne's eyes on me as mine got heavy. I really needed some sleep.

He replied with a mused, "About an hour, maybe more depending on how slow Dean drives." I laughed at that before I began to close my eyes, leaning back against the seat to rest my head against the uncomfortable seat cushion. Trucks like Shayne's really weren't meant for comfort. I felt us pull out of the driveway, dodging all of the other cars, before we were speeding on our way toward the ocean. I fell asleep before we hit the end of the driveway.

It felt like only moments before someone was patting on my shoulder, awaking me from my short but happy slumber.

"Grace, we're here," a voice that sounded familiar cooed. I opened my eyes, and my sight was blurry for a half a second or so before it finally cleared to reveal Shayne next to me. I groaned as I closed my eyes again, the sun shining in my eyes. The sound of waves made it even harder to return to sleep. Wait, waves? I opened my eyes, and this time to observe the great beach behind Shayne. I sat right up, almost colliding with him, but he dodged before I could smack my head into his. My mouth was gaped, and I had a feeling that was why Shayne was smirking at me.

"What's with the face?" he asked with a smile.

I blinked at the sight in front of me before I responded with a surprised, "It's amazing. I don't think I've seen a place more beautiful."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, glancing from me to the beach, and back to me again. "I think you need to get out more, even if you don't have any recollection of going to the beach. Staring at it is only the beginning of the fun," he said, reaching out his hand to help me out of the large truck. I hadn't realized until this moment that we were the only two in the truck, and that the truck had already been unloaded. I took his hand, and he helped me out of the giant truck, placing me on the warm sand. I was wearing flip flops that were entirely too big for me, but they were the closest thing to fitting me. I kicked them off, placing my bare feet on the warm sand.

"Sleeping Beauty has awakened!" Joshua cheered from the beach, lots of yells shortly following after him as Shayne and I made our way down to the beach. They had already set up the volley ball net and beach chairs. Dean was already working on setting up his giant fire, stacking wood in a large pile.

"And I must say, Grace, you look spectacular in that suit and shorts," Craig complimented when I reached the rest of the group with Shayne.

I sent him a look—one of amusement. "I can't believe you said I look '_spectacular'_."

He sent me a smile, his amazing gray eyes shining more brightly now that we were out in the sun. They almost looked like they would turn white. "Would you prefer that I call you a smokin' hot babe?" he asked, nudging me with his shoulder.

I smiled, and pushed him away playfully. "No, thank you. You can stick to your '_spectaculars_' all you want, and I won't complain. Fair deal?" I hadn't actually meant for him to reply to that.

"No, it's not a fair deal. To level the deal, you have to play a game of volleyball. Doesn't that sound about right, guys?" he asked aloud, and all of the others—except Shayne and Derek—shouted an agreement. Even Dean had, who was still working on his firewood.

I frowned at this overrule. I was completely outnumbered, and I was still too tired to put up a fight. They were such cleaver werewolves. I raised my hand and pretended to wave an invisible flag. "All right, I surrender. I'll play your damn ball game, even though I'm tired." I ended with a sigh. What I really wanted to do was sit on a towel and enjoy the warm sun. I was pale compared to the werewolves, so some sun would do me some good. But no, I was being bribed into playing a game that I hadn't ever played, or I think I hadn't played before.

"Okay, we both split up into our original teams," Matt shouted, his auburn hair shinning in the bright sun. It seemed that they had teams already.

"Shayne, you have to play this time," Eric said with a smile, slowly pulling off his shirt. All the rest of them followed his lead, pulling their shirt over their heads so that their top halves were nude. I fought to keep my cheeks a normal color.

Shayne smiled at me while I gawked at them all. He was the slowest to get rid of his shirt. "You ever played before?" he asked as he threw his shirt on the sand.

I shrugged, slowly composing myself. "Don't know. But I guess we'll find out the hard way."

Eric came trotting across the sand to me. He had a look in his eyes, and before I knew what was happening, I was being picked up and thrown over his shoulder. I gave one of those girlie shrieks when he had, and he carried me like a backpack over his shoulders to the volleyball 'court', if that's what you would call a net placed in the sand. "We get Grace!" he declared. "You guys get Shayne," he said as if he were a plague, a person who didn't deserve to be on our team.

Shayne shrugged, not seeming to care, and replied with a nonchalant, "Whatever you say." We were split up evenly. Eric, Derek, Dean, and I made up one team while Shayne, Joshua, Craig, and Matt completed the other.

"Aww," Joshua moaned, sticking his lower lip out so that it looked like he was pouting. "I wanted to be on Grace's team."

"The teams are final, so quit your whining, pup," Shayne said, crossing his arms over his chest with an impatient look on his face. I stared at the muscles that played along his long arms, broad shoulders, and great chest. They almost didn't seem real, they were so perfect. I was staring so intently that I didn't realize when someone was speaking to me.

"Grace!" someone shouted loudly, and that finally knocked me out of my concentration.

I turned my head and gave Eric a lost, "What?"

He rolled his eyes—like he knew what was distracting me so much—and asked, "Would you like to serve?"

"Serve what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed at me, as did Joshua and Dean, and said, "The ball, smart one."

I kept with the lost look for a moment or two longer before the large white ball was shoved in my face. I took the ball, and looked to Eric and my other teammates for answers. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

They all chuckled at my question. I was obviously not getting the joke. Before Eric could take the ball from me, Shayne explained, "She doesn't know how to play the game. Tell her the object of the game, and then we will play." Eric told me the basics of the game.

"Get the ball over the net, and that's it? No using of the feet. That doesn't seem so hard," I said in a confident tone.

Dean gestured toward the net. "Then, madam, you may serve the ball." I did just as he said, and I hit the ball over the net. All of a sudden the game was intense, all of the guys diving for the ball, preventing it from hitting the ground. I jumped out of the way of the ball, knowing that one of the guys would pummel me if I was in the way. I did more dodging than actually hitting the ball. Craig kept yelling, "Let Grace get the ball." But if it meant between hitting the ball or prevent from being hit, I would choose the latter. Hitting the ball was not worth a hit in the face. And the way these guys were playing, I was way out of their league when it came to volleyball.

By the time the score reached 10, I gave up. I walked away from them, toward the water, while saying, "Okay, that's enough dodging for me today." They whined, shouting for me to come back, but I shook my head, keeping to my intent location. I heard someone running after me, and when I thought they were going to grab me and drag me back, I turned around so quickly that I almost rammed into them. But Shayne—being supernatural and all—dodged me for the second time today. I frowned at him. "You don't have to quit playing the game because I don't want to play."

He shook his head with a smile. "Actually, I do." I gave him a skeptical look, and his smile broadened. "Uneven teams," he shortly replied.

"I'm sorry; I don't mean to take you away from your game. You guys were beating us, so I bet it's even more of a downer," I apologized.

He shook his head again, his eyes pointing to the ground while we both made our way to the sea. "If it means spending some time alone with you, I don't mind at all." Oh, God, he was flirting with me. I felt my breath get caught in my throat, butterflies in my stomach, and heat flowing to my cheeks. I was able to hide the first two, but the last one was a struggle. I took the first step into the cold water, and the iciness made goose bumps appear all over my body. Was the ocean always this cold?

I didn't know what to say to Shayne's comment, so I splashed my feet in the water instead. The moment wasn't really awkward, but not completely comfortable. I could feel the impulse of my hand wanting to reach and grab his, to hold his in my hand like we were in love. But then I realized that I also wanted to hold someone else's hand, whose hand was cold one minute, and warm the next. I wanted to hold Desmond's hand, but he wasn't here. He was probably still locked in his bathroom. Or maybe he was asleep, since it was his bedtime.

_What will he do when I get back? _I kept thinking to myself. Would he be angry? Probably. The fact that I left without telling him meant that there would probably be a consequence. But I had told Ivan and Dawn, not that that meant a whole lot, since they had said they weren't going to make up excuses for me.

"Are you alright?" Shayne asked, knocking me out of my thoughts.

I turned my head and faked a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." I was getting better at lying.

I obviously wasn't good enough, because he narrowed his eyes and replied, "No, you're not. You're worried about something; it's written on your face." I didn't reply, but splashed some more water. "It's the vampire, isn't it?" he asked as if he didn't really want to know. I still didn't take my eyes away from the water, but I had a feeling the answer was written on my face, just like he had said. When I didn't reply, he continued, but he sounded more upset; sadder. "I thought that coming to the beach would get your mind off him. When you arrived at our doorstep this morning, you looked so devastated, like you had been stabbed in the heart. Even with your smile, I could read the sadness in your eyes." I could feel his eyes burning into me, but I couldn't find the courage to meet his. "What did he do to you, Grace?"

The question had caught me by surprise, but I didn't want to upset him even more by telling the truth. I figured silence was the best option. "Why do you stay with him? He creates nothing but trouble and pain, Grace. Within two days I have seen him hurt you twice. A person who truly loves you would never make you go through something like that, like this."

Something sparked in me, something that told me to protect Desmond. A gave an unfriendly look, and it caused him to stagger a step. "You don't even know him."

He returned the unfriendly look, but not as intense. "I know him more than you do, Grace. I know who Desmond really is, and he's not who he says he is. The fact that he has been lying to you proves that he is no good for you. He's been lying to you this whole time." I opened my mouth to defend Desmond, but he continued before I could. "He's the bad guy, Grace, and I wish you would see past his disguise."

That left me speechless. I didn't know how to defend Desmond when I really didn't know who he was. Was Desmond really that bad? Then why was my heart hurting just at the thought? We had stopped walking; now standing in the water while the waves brushed against our legs. I felt him take my hand in his, like I had wanted to earlier, but now I didn't have the same feeling. I looked up from the waves, and his eyes were sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Grace. I didn't mean to upset you like that. I just...I want you to be happy and safe," he said sincerely, squeezing my hand in his. He was trying to think of me, and I was denying him.

A tiny smile formed on my lips, and he copied me when I squeezed his hand back. "Thank you for caring, Shayne," I said. And I meant it. He had done so much for me the past day that I really owed him a lot for the hospitality. The least I could do was cheer up and stay on his good side. We started walking again, this time hand-in-hand, and it didn't feel awkward, but comforting. We walked along the beach for a long while in silence before we decided it was time to walk back.

The sun was already beginning to set, and the first chill was coming in from the coast. We had barely said a word during our whole walk, but neither of us seemed to mind the silence. In a way, it was nice; refreshing. No talking; no arguing; just walking hand-in-hand with no problems. I released his hand before we arrived to the already burning bonfire, which had been created by Dean. He had made the bonfire much larger than I had expected. I guess we had brought a lot of wood. I was the only one who was cold by the time the sun was fading beyond the horizon, so I got my jeans and sweatshirt from Shayne's truck.

We all sat around the bonfire, laughing and telling jokes. I didn't have any, but I learned quite a few. I sat next to Shayne and Eric, who was sharpening sticks for the marshmallows we had brought. By the time the sun had set, all the werewolves had put on their shirts. It was a relief to me.

"Grace, you got any good jokes?" Joshua asked. Of course he would be the one to ask. He was the prankster of the pack.

I shook my head. "Nope, but you apparently have quite a few. I'm quite impressed by how many you have."

He shrugged from his spot on the sand. "It entertains me, unlike the rest of these guys. I don't get a lot of entertainment these days."

Shayne laughed from beside me, and I had to look up to really see his face. I was practically leaning on him, since the log we were leaning against wasn't that comfortable. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the color of his eyes. His pretty copper hues were even brighter with the fire dancing in them, and it put me in a trance. He asked, "What about Clara?"

Even with the sun now gone and the only light the fire, I could detect the color on Joshua's cheeks. He gave a nervous laugh, while throwing a stick into the already roaring fire. Everyone except Shayne and I mocked him, making his face even redder. Apparently he and Clara had a '_thing_' going on.

Eric practically shouted in my ear when he said, "Sticks are ready." He handed me one, and passed all the others out. We had brought more than 8 bags of marshmallows, so we weren't going to run out any time soon. Shayne and I had a bag to share, which I thought was unnecessary. I mean, how many marshmallows could these guys eat? I placed my marshmallow on the end of the stick and held it over the dancing flames of the fire. Within moments it melted off my stick, and I frowned.

"That is the cutest look I have seen," Craig stated from the other side of the fire.

Eric put an arm around my shoulders. "That's because Grace is the cutest girl."

I coughed. "You guys need to get out more. And why can't I be beautiful?"

Dean shook his head from beside Craig. "You're cute, but not quite beautiful. You're still young, but you'll get there." Matt nodded his head from beside him in agreement. I frowned even more.

Eric removed his arm from me, but Shayne replaced it with his own, bringing me closer to him. I could feel his heat radiating off of him through his clothes. He touched my face so that I looked at him. He said in a soft voice, "But you're beautiful in your own way. You have a beautiful personality." The air suddenly felt thick, and I found it hard to breathe. He was staring at me so intimately that I couldn't find my train of thought for more than a few minutes.

I finally broke eye contact and returned to stare at the fire. "Beautiful personality, huh? Sounds a little...weird," I said. I had trouble finding the right word, because I didn't want to offend him, not after how nice he had been. But now that he had said that comment, butterflies were moving in my stomach again. I placed another marshmallow on my stick and tried to pay more attention to it than the fact that Shayne had his arm around me. Sure, it was nice and warm, but it made things inside my stomach move nervously.

The others had grabbed the cooler from Dean's truck and were now cooking hot dogs. I really didn't feel like eating, so I watched the fire in silence, listening to the sound of my fast paced heart pound in my ears. I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth around me, relaxing one bit at a time. I was still tired, and a few hours of sleep hadn't made a difference. I relaxed against Shayne, leaning against his shoulder while the fire put me at ease. Everyone was settling down a bit, but still laughing quietly and enjoying their food. Well, that's how it was for a little while.

They all suddenly became quiet, so that the only sound I could hear was the fire crackling. I opened my eyes when I couldn't even hear Shayne breathing, and when I did, they were all staring in one direction, all with serious expressions.

I followed their line of sight, but saw nothing but darkness. My eyes sight wasn't even close to being as good as theirs. My eyes squinted, trying to see what they were all staring at, but all I could see were spots from when I had been staring at the fire. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, to see if that would help, and it did. When I opened my eyes, there he was, staring down at us from the top of the sand dune.

My mouth dropped open, and I was suddenly tense. I quietly whispered, "Oh, crap." Nope, this wasn't going to be good.


	25. Alpha

**Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't update earlier. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and/or Thanksgiving. :D**

**Chapter 25**

Alpha

I was frozen with panic, and I had a feeling so were the rest of the pack. My heart skipped a couple of beats every few seconds. My eyes were wide; I was sure they looked like they were about to pop out. I tried gulping the lump in my throat, but it wouldn't budge. I was crossing my fingers that someone would speak, but no sound erupted from any of the werewolves. Besides, what werewolf wants to say anything when they're caught in the glaring sight of their alpha?

Troy stared down at us, his eyes darker than I had ever seen them. I could just barely detect the flames roaring behind those furious eyes of his. His face was contorted with rage; his hands clenched so tightly at his side that they were shaking. I was waiting for blood to start flowing from the great pressure. His angry eyes skimmed around the fire, and when they landed on me, they stayed on me. I tried cowering behind Shayne's large body, but even that would do little good. The gaze might even burn through Shayne, and that wouldn't help my situation, let alone make it worse.

"You," he growled, taking the first angry step down the sand dune. A shiver of fear shot down my spine, and I suddenly wished I hadn't agreed to this little trip. I was shivering, and it wasn't from the cold. I got to my feet quicker than I ever had, and the rest of the pack followed my movement. Shayne blocked me from Troy's view, shielding me. I could hear Troy's footsteps getting closer, and when I thought he would walk through Shayne, the footsteps stopped. I looked down to see that his feet had stopped right next to Shayne's. "Move," Troy growled in the same dark voice. It didn't even sound human. It sounded more animal than anything.

Shayne didn't follow his order, and stayed standing in front of me, refusing to budge. "Don't blame her for this. This was our idea, not hers," he tried to explain. I had a feeling Troy wasn't going to listen to him.

"I do not care _whose_ idea this was. But I know that she is a seductress, Shayne. She has blinded you—all of you—with her strange powers," he snapped.

"She's just a girl, Troy. She's a human, and even you can detect that." I glanced around Shayne enough to see Troy shake his head. All the fury was still there, written on his face.

"No, she's something more than human, Shayne. You and I both know that there is something...strange about her. She's up to something; she wouldn't be here otherwise. She is working for that damn bloodsucker." He looked to the rest of the pack. "You all are fools for thinking that she is anything but innocent. She's a con-artist, and she will play you all until you have your backs turned, and then she'll stab you in the back."

Shayne said in a louder, defending voice, "Enough."

Troy turned his gaze backed to Shayne, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Are you going to defend her, Shayne? Will you fight me...and lose, like last time?" I had a feeling I was missing something. I had a feeling that Shayne had fought Troy, but never found the reason why.

Shayne was calmer this time, but sounding like he was straining to keep himself under control. "Troy, I ask you as a fellow pack member to see reason. Ever since the accident with Zoe-"

"Don't you dare speak about Zoe," Troy cut him off, growling in a menacing voice, sounding more like an animal than human again.

"This needs to stop, Troy. None of us can ever speak to you because you always react in an ill-mannered way. You've got to stop being angry all the time, Troy." Shayne was really trying. It sounded like this was something that had been talked over with the rest of the pack members before.

Troy growled again; that animal sound. "Do not speak as though you are alpha. I am leader of this pack, and you will treat me as such."

"Then be the leader, Troy. Don't drag us down with you because you blame yourself for what happened to Zoe," Shayne shot back.

Troy's lips pulled back so that he showed his clenching teeth. "How dare you..." he growled. And then, with such strength, he pushed Shayne; pushed him so that he flew almost eight feet before he landed on his back. I stared in horror, suddenly feeling vulnerable. My eyes shot back to Troy, and his eyes were glued to me; a look of such anger that it felt like it was burning me. Fear clutched me, surrounded my body like a blanket. I took a step back, unable to hide the fear from my face or body language. Troy got into a stance that looked like he was about to fight, but I had a feeling it was something else. I felt the others move, but I had a feeling they were too slow.

I turned to run, and that's when my ankle felt that I had put too much pressure on it, and I fell to the ground with a loud scream in both fear and pain. I cringed in pain for half a second, but when my mind remembered that something was after me, I pushed myself to get to my fee; to get away from whatever was trying to get me. I stumbled twice, falling back to the sand as my ankle refused to work. I gasped when I felt the back of my sweatshirt being pulled on, and then I was lifted off the ground. I stared with wide eyes as I was turned around, only to meet the angry face of Troy. He held onto the front of my shirt, practically choking with such a tight hold. I searched for someone who would help me. Behind Troy, Shayne was getting to his feet, blood sliding down the side of his lip.

Everything was suddenly going in slow motion. All of the other werewolves looked like they were about to protest about something, but were too scared to do any more than that. Shayne was rushing to us, a look of panic on his face. I looked back to Troy, and his hand was pulled back, ready to strike. There was no way Shayne would make it in time. I shut my eyes tight, waiting for the pain.

A gust of air hit my face, but no blow. I peeked one eye open, afraid that he was just screwing with me. Both my eyes snapped open when I saw Troy's arm being held back by someone's hold on his wrist. He was struggling against the hold on his wrist, but it barely budged.

Desmond's hold on the werewolf's wrist tightened every time he tried to get free.

"Release Grace or you lose an arm," he said in a relaxed tone, seeming to be having no struggle at all with the werewolf, who wasn't so fortunate. Troy seemed to contemplate this proposition for a moment. Lose the girl or lose an arm. I know which one I would choose. He finally growled, sending one last glare at me before releasing his hold of the front of my shirt. I stumbled back, but someone caught me before I landed on the sand once more. But even when I was released, Desmond didn't release his hold on Troy. Instead, he pulled on the werewolf's arm further, making it look **very** uncomfortable.

Desmond spoke in a very calm, but menacing tone. "If you _ever_ lay a hand on Grace again, I will make sure to tear every one of your limbs off...and slowly. Do you understand me, mutt?" He didn't even give Troy the chance to reply. Instead, he pushed him with barely any force, but it sent him well over ten feet. Troy landed in the sand face first. I stared in awe for a moment. I started to get to my feet, and it wasn't until then that I remembered someone had prevented me from hitting the ground. I looked up to see Derek, Joshua's twin, help me to my feet. I smiled a thank you, which was enough for him, because he returned the small smile and nodded his head. As soon as he helped me to my feet, he backed away so that he stood next to the rest of the pack.

I limped my way toward Desmond, wanting to be close to my savior. I didn't want to be away from him any longer. He stood there for a moment—looking perfect and statue-like—moving his eyes across all the werewolves, making sure none of them were going to try to fight him. When his eyes caught me limping toward him, his eyes grew from shielding to soft. I smiled as soon as I saw his eyes grow warm, and he returned it with a tiny one of his own, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. I cringed as I stepped on my ankle wrong again and let out a gasp of air. Within a blink of an eye he was by my side, his arm under mine, making sure that I wouldn't fall down.

I smirked at him from beside me. "I knew you would come looking for me. Though I thought you would have come to rescue me sooner."

He raised an eyebrow. "You needed rescuing before this?" he asked, glancing to the group of werewolves, who were now huddled in a small circle, refusing to be anywhere near the vampire.

I shook my head. "No, but I'm glad you showed up when you did." And I really was. If he hadn't showed up, than Troy would have killed me, or at least tried. He smirked down at me for only a second, and then his eyes quickly shot up. His eyes got wide—full of panic—and then, before I could even turn my head to see what had frightened him so, he pushed me. I felt a strong gust of wind shoot past me before I fell. Again, I landed on the sand. I turned around from my spot on the ground, hearing growling sounds behind me. When I turned and looked at what was going on, I gasped loudly, swallowing a scream.

I stared in horror. Desmond was lying on his back with a giant wolf towering over him. The only thing that kept the wolf from snapping at Desmond's face was that he had a hold on the wolf's muzzle, holding it just inches away from his face. His teeth cringed as he struggled to keep the wolf from biting at him. The wolf's fur was as black as night, and from what I could tell, so were the eyes. They eyes were full of such hatred, and it reminded me of something. I gasped again when it hit me; the wolf was Troy. This was his wolf form.

I whispered in a panicked voice, "Oh, God." I couldn't think of anything else. Desmond glanced to me then—still holding the wolf by its muzzle—and quickly turned back to the growling canine above him. His arms were beginning to shake, and that's when fear sparked within me. I yelled, "No!" and then began to run toward the two fighting supernatural creatures, ignoring my aching ankle. I jumped onto the giant wolf's back, trying to push him off Desmond.

Desmond shouted in a strained voice, "No, Grace!" I didn't listen, and continued to hold onto the giant wolf by its large shoulders. It growled, beginning to strain against Desmond's grasp on his muzzle. With a quick movement, Troy released his large muzzle from Desmond's grasp and reached behind him. Unfortunately my arm was just in his reach. I screamed as his large jaw clamped down on my arm, and like a Frisbee, I was thrown off of him. He tossed me eight feet away, like I was nothing. I landed hard in the sand.

"Grace!" Eric screamed my name, running to me in record time. I could hear him, but his voice was distant. My arm felt numb, and I had a feeling it was bleeding. Heck, I had a werewolf grab me by my arm and throw me; it was bound to be injured. I opened my eyes, hearing more growling sounds, and again, Troy was on Desmond, still trying to snap off his head. Desmond took another quick glance at me, and when he saw how hurt I looked, his expression became fierce.

With amazing power and speed, he pushed the werewolf off of him and was on his feet in less time. He situated himself in a fighting position, his lips pulled back so that his fangs glinted against the burning fire. Troy paced, walking back and forth, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. His wolf form was **huge**, but I remembered that Shayne's was just as large. It was when I had first met him—when he had first found me—and I remembered seeing a large animal stalking around me. And then, like magic, he was a human.

"You will pay for hurting Grace," Desmond growled, sounding like Troy had before he had changed. Troy replied with his own growl, pacing faster, and then, with that otherworldly speed, sprang. But before he could come in contact with Desmond, who looked small in comparison, he was rammed by something large. Another wolf appeared, shielding Desmond. Desmond stood there for a moment, his eyes wide with shock. I stared in horror as the giant wolves fought, snapping and biting at each other. Fur was flying, and I could do nothing but stare with an open mouth as the two wolves fought in an intense battle. The two wolves were different in color. This new werewolf's fur was a light copper color, unlike Troy's black coat.

Eric shook his head. "Shayne's never going to win if he refuses to kill Troy."

My eyes shot up, going wider than they already were. "Shayne? Are you saying that other wolf is Shayne?" I asked with panic. Eric simply nodded his head, refusing to take his eyes off the fight. I reluctantly turned my head back around to stare at the awful sight. The wolves were relentless. Both of them were growling, snapping, and biting as much as they could. I couldn't tell who had the upper hand, but I was hoping Shayne was winning. Both of them were so evenly matched that I couldn't even guess who was winning. Desmond appeared beside me, but I wasn't surprised. I was getting used to his inhuman speed. Eric, on the other hand, jumped away from him, but only moving enough so that he could still touch me. Desmond bent down beside me and began to slip his arms under my body.

"Wait! We can't just leave them like this!" I protested, knowing exactly that he was going to do. My outburst didn't stop him, and he lifted me into his arms. I thought of struggling, but I knew that I would lose no matter what.

"We can't do anything. This is between Shayne and Troy," he replied in a flat voice.

I felt tears begin to sting behind my eyelids. "No! I can't leave him like this! Please! Desmond!" I screamed, begging for him to stop. He did, and I think it was the '_please_' that did it. I fought my tears, but I lost. Watching Shayne fight like this tore my heart. I clung to Desmond's shirt and turned my eyes away from the awful dog fight and cried. He held me closer, but said nothing. All I could hear was the sound of tearing fur, growling, snapping, and a weep every few moments. I couldn't handle to watch the fight any longer, but I couldn't leave Shayne, not without knowing he was going to be all right.

"Do something," I whispered through my tears. Desmond didn't reply, but I knew I had his attention. "Please. I can't bear to hear these sounds any longer."

"I cannot interfere. Shayne's position as alpha would be counterfeit if I helped him. If he truly wishes to be alpha, than he must fight without any aid," he explained in a calm voice, but that just made me cry harder. He held me closer to him, covering my ear with one hand, but it still didn't cover up the sound of the snarling and fighting. And then, like music to my ears, all the sounds stopped together.

My eyes opened then, but I wasn't sure I wanted to look. I pulled my face from Desmond's shirt, making him move his hand from my ear, and looked around the lightly lit area. The bon fire had gone down a bit, but it gave off enough light to illuminate all of the werewolves, who were still grouped together. My eyes scanned the area, and they landed on the two fallen figures. Panic clutched my heart as I fought to get out of Desmond's grasp. He released me, setting me on the ground. As soon as my feet touched the sand, I ran.

"Wait! Grace! It's not safe!" Joshua shouted amongst the others, but I didn't listen. I continued to run toward the fallen wolves. Tears stung my eyes while I walked to the light wolf; Shayne. When I reached him, I took in all of it. There were wounds all over his body, and they looked serious. He was still breathing, so I knew he wasn't dead. Not yet. I bent down next to his large wolf head, and that's when I lost it. My tears escaped my eyes like a waterfall. The sight of Shayne so cut up hurt my heart. I reached and touched his large wolf ear, but got no reaction. I moved closer, moved so that I could lift his head and rest it on my lap. Nothing happened when I moved his head. I stared down at the large wolf head in my lap, stroking his head, begging for him to wake up. Desmond came from behind me, but said nothing.

I looked to him with tear-filled eyes, just now noticing his white shirt stained with blood. I didn't want to glance to my arm to see how much blood I was losing. "He won't wake up," I choked on my words.

"He's just been in a serious fight, Grace. It's to be expected that he is unconscious." Desmond didn't sound happy when he said it, but not mad. He sounded hurt or in pain.

I turned back to the giant wolf, and more of my tears fell on his face. "Please, wake up," I began to chant with sobs over and over. The other wolves moved behind us, some of them going to check on Troy.

Eric walked up to me, bending down next to me. A tiny smile was on his lips, and it made me wonder how he could be happy at a time like this. "Grace, we owe you a great deal of thanks," he said.

I lifted my eyes from Shayne. "Why is that?" I asked with a sniffle.

His smile broadened. "Well, let's just say that you have given our pack a different view of things. You encouraged Shayne to fight Troy, because when he saw Troy hurt you, his first reaction was to protect you, to make sure you were avenged. And not only that, but you made it so that his reaction was to also protect Desmond, a vampire of all things. And all because he knew you cared for the...Desmond." He had stopped himself from saying something insulting, and I was proud of him for trying. Though, I didn't know what to say to his comments. Instead, I turned back to the wolf's head in my lap. I continued to stroke his head, hoping he would wake up before Desmond dragged me off again.

"Troy's out, but not dead," Matt said, walking over to Eric and me.

I didn't look up as I said, "Who won?" There was a long pause, and I didn't like it. I looked up, and when I did, Desmond was kneeling right in front of me. I searched eyes for the answer, but found nothing.

A smile suddenly formed on his face. "Shayne won because he didn't faint before Troy. Troy blacked out before Shayne," he said. I tried to smile, but I couldn't. I needed Shayne to open those golden eyes of his to be able to smile. I looked back down, and when I did, his body twitched. That didn't stop me from continuing to pet his large head. And then, just like I had been wishing, his eyes opened, only they were more wolf eyes than their usual dark copper.

"Shayne," I whispered his name, and those wolf eyes turned to me. Even though he was in his wolf form, I could tell how tired he was through those eyes of his. He made a low whimpering noise, but as soon as I continued to stroke his head, the whimpering stopped and his eyes closed.

"He's worried about you," Joshua said, moving with the rest of the wolves to make sure their new alpha was indeed alright.

I snorted. "He's worried about me? I think he's the one who's hurting more."

"True, but Shayne always worries about those he cares about more than himself. It is a wolf's duty to protect his pack. And from what I've seen these past few days, he really cares about you and has begun to see as you as part of the pack," Derek said. I hadn't expected that to come out of the silent one's mouth.

"Grace," Desmond said, catching my attention, "We need to get you home. Your wounds need to be treated."

I had been trying to ignore my wounds. I looked down, and sure enough, my arm was bleeding. My sweatshirt was ripped to shreds when Troy had grabbed me with his jaws, and blood had soaked it.

"Isn't it hard for you to not attack her? I mean, you are a vampire." Craig asked, eyeing Desmond's reaction.

Desmond sighed, but nodded his head. "It is a struggle, but I have had years of practice to learn how to restrain myself. You do not need to worry; I am not going to harm her." Craig took his word and turned back to Shayne and me.

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked, wiping away my tears.

All of them gave a faint smile, but Eric said, "He'll be fine. He's just a little beat from the fight." It was a horrible pun, but I wasn't going to say anything. I took one last glance down at the wolf's head in my arms. I sighed, and lifted his head off of my lap. He made a whimpering sound when I gently set his head on the soft sand. I stood, as did Desmond. He came to me and lifted me in his arms once more. I hated having a hurt ankle. He turned and began to carry me up the sand dune. I glanced back to the werewolves, waving my hand 'good bye'. They returned it before I was carried over the dune and they were out of sight.

I relaxed in Desmond's arms, closing my eyes. I quickly began to fall asleep in his warm arms, and I was betting part of my sudden tiredness from blood loss. Before I fell into that dark abyss, I told myself that as soon as I got my wounds taken care of, I would be back to visit the wolves, to make sure Shayne was okay.

7


	26. Frozen

Okay, so first thing first. **The Fiction Press Supernatural Story Awards 2008** is happening, and it would be a great advantage to get your stories noticed. Nominate your friends, yourself, it doesn't matter! (You should nominate me.) Here is the link. "/topic/2539/642418/2/" Secondly, thank you for your comments! Keep them up!

Chapter 26

Frozen

_I searched around me, looking for any bit of light. The room was black—shrouded in darkness. There was no feeling of the air moving, just a dark stillness that surrounded me. The air felt dead, like I was trapped in a box. There was no sound, just...nothing. Panic clutched my heart, and for a moment I believed that this would be my fate—to stay in a dark place forever more. This was my worst fear._

"Please," I whispered into the darkness. "I don't want to be alone." I hugged myself, clutching my arms around me as if it were cold. I felt myself on the verge of tears, unable to handle being so alone. Was this it? Was this how it felt to be dead?

"Do not fear, my princess," said a distant and angelic voice.

I turned; searching for the figure the voice belonged to, but still saw nothing but darkness. I shouted into the darkness, "Where are you? Please, don't leave me here. I don't want to be alone." I whispered at the last. The voice seemed happy, chuckling with amusement.

It echoed, "Fear not, my princess, for we shall be together soon." A dim light formed in front of me, revealing a blond haired young man. His piercing blue eyes looked straight at me, and I felt a shiver of fear shoot down my back. He was perfect in that supermodel way and I could see through his shirt the muscles that were etched so perfectly, like I god had created him. His face was definitive, all of him was. Even from one look I knew that this person was someone whom I had met before, but where? I pondered it for half a minute, taking in all of his features, but never able to put a finger on it. He had the aura of evil, and yet his outward appearance seemed so innocent. Who was this man? He smirked—one of pure maliciousness—and bowed, crossing his arm over his middle like the old ways of the gentlemen.

He spoke. "My princess, I cannot wait to see you again in the flesh. Until then, adieu." And just as soon as he appeared, he faded into the darkness once more. I jumped forward, reaching out for him. Anything was better than this darkness. I screamed when I felt nothing but black air flow through my fingers.

I jolted up from lying down, my eyes wide and my breathing quick. Sweat dripped from my forehead, and the rest of my body was shivering. I stared with wide eyes at nothing, unable to focus on one thing. It took me a minute before I got a hold of myself—to realize that I was still alive.

"It was only a dream," I told myself a couple of times before I finally slowed myself down a bit. I took a few deep breaths, closing my eyes as if I were meditating. I opened my eyes, and it wasn't until then did I realize someone was sitting beside the bed I was lying on. There he sat, perfect as always. His face was somber, but the look in his eyes was worried.

"Desmond," I weakly whispered his name. I suddenly had no voice. It's strange how dreams have such strong effects on one's body. Desmond sat in a rocking chair beside the large bed, watching me very carefully.

"A bad dream?" he asked, leaning forward to put his hand on my shaking one. I nodded my head, unable to find my voice this time. I glanced at him, but quickly looked down, unable to meet his piercing gaze. "May I ask what your dream was about," he spoke with a soft voice. He was being nice, and I didn't understand if it was an act or not. I gasped suddenly, reaching for my arm, but Desmond's hand stopped me before I could put any pressure on it, catching my wrist.

"Don't touch it. You don't want to injure yourself further." He sighed. "I knew it; your arm is more damaged than I first thought." He ended with another sigh.

Through my clenched teeth I asked, "How bad?" He moved from his spot on the chair to sit on the bed beside me. He looked at my wound, and I followed his line of sight. I had been expecting a few bruises and cuts, but when I saw the bloody bandage wrapped from my shoulder to my elbow, I realized that it was **much** worse than I had first thought. I suddenly understood why my body was in such shock. I looked back down, not liking the sight of so much blood soaking through the wrap.

"Desmond, you don't have to torture yourself to watch over me. I'm fine, really." I hated to watch him struggle, to hold back his instincts. If he was a vampire, his instinct would be to want my blood.

"I'm not leaving you," he replied without a beat. My eyes moved up, and when they connected with his, I felt heat rise to my face. My head jolted back down to my hands. My eyes went wide when I felt his hand touch my cheek. He gently led it so that my face turned to stare at him. My eyes looked up from looking down, tracing up his body before they landed on his face and to his eyes. His eyes were soft when mine connected with them, but there was also much sadness behind them.

"You scared me, Grace. When I saw that werewolf throw you like that…" he paused, and his face strained. I could just barely notice that his fist was clenching in his lap. "I thought that I was going to lose you." His teeth were now gritting, and his eyes closed while he struggled to keep himself together. "I don't want to ever feel that sense of panic again, Grace," he whispered.

The next thing I knew, he was wrapping his arms around me. His body was cold, which meant he hadn't eaten in a while, but it felt nice against my hurt arm. For the first time I didn't panic when Desmond was so close. I rested my head against his hard, cool chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent. He smelled so sweet, and I could never identify what it smelled like. It was my favorite smell in the world. It was a comforting and familiar smell. My memory remembered this smell.

"I was scared, too," I whispered into his white T-shirt. The only difference between us was that I had been scared for him, not for me. When I had seen that werewolf jump at him, I thought for sure that I was going to lose him. I brought my arm around him, disliking the thought. My mind told me that to lose Desmond would mean the death of my heart. I too would die. My other arm was immobile, and I had a feeling it would be for some time. I heard footsteps running up the stairs, and more than one pair. I turned my head toward the door as Dawn and Ivan bolted through the door. Dawn's face lit up when she saw me holding onto Desmond.

"You're finally awake!" she screeched, fast-walking to the bed. Ivan hung back, leaning against the wall with a laid-back look on his face.

"What do you mean _'finally'_?" I asked, releasing my hold on Desmond.

She gave a puzzled look, and then turned her gaze to Desmond. "You haven't told her?"

"Told me what?"

Desmond shrugged. "I was going to tell her."

"He just got caught up in the moment," Ivan said from his spot against the wall. Desmond shot him an unpleasant look. Ivan returned it with a smirk.

I got us back on track. "What haven't you told me that is _so _important?"

Dawn shrugged like Desmond had. "It's nothing _that_ bad. You were just out for three days with a fever of about 104 degrees." I made a _'wow'_ movement of my lips. I knew that wasn't normal, and it was something to be worried about.

Ivan walked into the room a bit more. "We were worried that you were going to wake up...changed." I hadn't liked the way he had said that last bit. They were still keeping quiet about something; something that had worried them.

I sighed. "Okay, spit it out. Explain to me why you were so worried, other than my temperature." They all looked between one another, waiting for someone to speak before the other. I was doing the same; waiting, and slowly growing impatient. My head hurt, my arm felt numb, and the rest of my body felt like it was breaking. This was definitely not a good night. And to add to it I was confused about many things. First off, I was curious about the blond in my dream. He was beautiful, but he had a dangerous aura around him; I felt it.

Dawn began to walk out the door. "I'll be right back," she said, and disappeared from sight. There went one with an excuse. Would it be Ivan or Desmond next to make up an excuse to escape and not answer my questions?

Desmond opened his mouth, but Ivan spoke before him. "I will go with Dawn to make sure everything is all right downstairs." Desmond glared at the fallen angel as he quickly exited out of the room, closing the door behind him. Ivan had won. He had beat Desmond to the excuse.

I turned my attention back to Desmond. "So, I guess it's up to you to tell me why you all had been worried." My tone was final. Either he was going to tell me, or I would find a way to beat it out of him. Well, I would attempt.

He mumbled, "Stupid Ivan," under his breath. He sighed. I had a feeling this was a typical thing of Desmond. "We were worried that you might have been infected."

"Infected?" I asked.

He nodded his head. "That is how humans become werewolves. Lycanthropy is an infection. Werewolves are not usually born werewolves. They become werewolves by either being bitten by a werewolf, or the infection is somewhere in their genes. Usually if it is in the DNA, it will not show until at least puberty. Being bitten, on the other hand, is a more agonizing experience. The human body will fight the virus because it is unknown to it. The process is long and excruciating."

"And my fever was why you were worried," I added for him.

Again, he nodded his head. "Yes. Usually the first indication of the virus is a fever. But since your fever went down, we knew that you were clean."

I looked down at my hands and played with my fingers. "When Troy bit me, I had a chance of becoming a werewolf," I murmured.

"A very high chance," Desmond added. I sighed louder than necessary. I was betting that he had been by my side the whole time, starving himself just so that he could be sure that I wasn't going to turn all furry. "And yes, if you're thinking I stayed by your side to make sure you weren't infected, you're correct," he said, practically reading my mind. Another thing I noticed Desmond was good at was reading my emotions. It was amazing how paranoid he was about me becoming a werewolf.

I gasped, suddenly remembering about the werewolf that had saved me. I turned panic eyes to Desmond. "Where's Shayne?" I asked in a quick whispering voice.

He rolled his eyes. "The pup is fine. In fact, he's—" Desmond was cut off by another voice coming from downstairs.

"She's awake?!" the voice yelled, followed by feet practically jumping up the stairs. The door opened, and there stood Shayne, all bandaged up, his eyes wide with disbelief. Desmond grumbled under his breath, and even though he could hear him, Shayne ignored him. His eyes were all for me.

I gave a warm smile. "I am so glad that you are all right."

He rushed forward to the bed, bending down on his knees as soon as he got to me. He reached for my hand with his right, since his left was covered in gauze. I could also tell that his entire top half was covered in medical bandages as well. He rested his head in my lap, sighing in content. "I am so relieved to see you awake," he whispered.

I touched the top of his head and stroked it like one would a dog. "Me? I should be the one so relieved. I owe you a great deal of thanks for saving Desmond and me." Desmond snorted from beside me, and I couldn't help but smirk. He could pretend he wasn't appreciative all he wanted, but he knew that he owed Shayne as well. My fingernail got caught on one of Shayne's gauze bandages when I touched his shoulder. "I thought you said you had no need for bandages, that you didn't use them because you were so amazing," I mocked him. He lifted his head, and he was frowning.

Desmond spoke for him. "He changed back into his human form before he was fully healed, because he so dearly wanted to see you and couldn't _wait_ to see you. So now he is suffering the consequences," he said nonchalantly. I sent him a look of annoyance, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I warned him."

"He's right, Grace. He told me that you would rather have me healed and well than to be bandaged like a mummy," Shayne said, and although he had attempted to make his comment funny, he was frowning. Both Desmond and I lifted our eyebrows in surprise. Shayne groaned and rested his head back in my lap.

I turned my attention to Desmond and smirked. "You said something nice to the Shayne," I said with glee.

His eyes moved to the bed. "I was just being honest," he murmured. I patted his hand, silently thanking him. He smirked and let out a tiny laugh. His eyes moved back up and connected with mine, and I showed him with a kind smile how much what he had done really meant to me. He moved his hand from beneath mine and placed it on top of mine, squeezing it gently. My heart was beating fast, and I was glad. I had been so close to being killed—from what Desmond had said—that I was happy that I was still alive and somewhat functional. We stayed like that for moments, sitting in silence. A snore came, and I looked down and laughed quietly when Shayne was sleeping like a baby with his head still in my lap.

"Grace," Desmond said in a quiet voice, catching my attention again. "I want to talk about what happened the other day between you and me."

That comment made my heart stop. I turned my eyes back to the bed. "It was nothing. I understand. Just forget about it."

"I don't want to forget it—ever."

I sighed, and I took my hand from under his to place it on my lap, next to Shayne. "Desmond, why are you doing this? You know that it was nothing." _I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry._ I repeated this over and over during those words in my mind.

He shook his head, acting as if he were trying to shake those words away. "No, it was something, and you know in your heart that what happened between us in those short moments affects you even now. I felt it when I touched you, that you wanted it almost as much as I did."

This time I was the one to shake my head. "Desmond, this isn't the right time to talk about this." I gestured for Shayne.

Desmond came back with, "He's out. Nothing is going to wake him unless you scream."

Dawn's scream came from downstairs, and that was enough to wake Shayne. Both he and Desmond were to their feet in less than a second, both taking defensive stances. Desmond gasped—his eyes going wide—and that's when I felt every molecule in my body go cold. I could feel evil surround us like an invisible cloud. It surrounded the house, and it was inside as well. I suddenly couldn't breathe. I felt a power unlike any I had ever felt slowly creep up the stairs, like some deadly smoke slowly rising. I could no longer hear anything that was happening downstairs, but I knew that the silence was a bad thing. I clutched the neck of my pajamas, trying my best to remember how to breathe. I felt the familiar jolt of power stab into me, and I was rolling out of the bed onto the floor, screaming. I had landed on my hurt shoulder, but it was nothing compared to this new-found power. Shayne and Desmond were by my side within a blink of an eye.

"Grace? Grace?! What is it?" Shayne shouted, but his voice was barely a whisper to me. Another scream escaped me when the second jolt of power hit me, and my back arched with the force. Whoever's power this was, it was too intense for me to handle. My nails tried to scratch into the white carpet while I made sure I didn't lift off the ground from the amazing power. Shayne suddenly grew quiet, and his face went pale. "I know this aura," he said. The power stopped trying to force its way into my body as soon as he said those words. My back flopped back down on the floor, and I was more than relieved. Sweat dripped from my forehead as I tried to regulate my breathing.

"Indeed you do know, young wolf," a voice spoke from the door, but Shayne was blocking my vision of the intruder. Shayne turned and jumped to his feet in a flash, unblocking my view, and his face was furious. I almost screamed from my place on the floor. A young man stood at the entrance of the door. The young man who was standing in the doorway was the same man I had dreamed of the night before. His blond hair and blue eyes were the same, and he had the same wicked smirk on his face. He completely ignored Shayne's anger and looked to me, still lying on the ground. My eyes were heavy from the power surge, and I was begging in my mind for me to stay awake.

"Cain," Shayne growled in a menacing tone. Desmond was frozen in his place, completely motionless. The blond finally took notice of the furious werewolf, at last moving his gaze from me. I felt a great weight lift off me. "How dare you show your face here after all these years!" Shayne shouted. I struggled to get to my feet, and stumbled a few times, but Desmond finally helped me, surrounding his arm around my middle so that I stayed on my feet. I clutched onto him like a security blanket, because to me that's who he was.

The blond turned his attention back to Desmond and me. He smirked when he noticed the frightened look I had. "Oh, Grace, my princess, it has been far too long since I have felt my arms around you," he said. His voice made goose bumps appear all over.

Shayne snarled, "You bastard, Cain. Don't ignore me! You killed my brother. You tortured him! And I will avenge him"

"Slow down, wolf, or I will have to take matters into my own hands," Cain warned in a cool voice, but I couldn't help but feel he was amused by Shayne's hostility.

Shayne's fists were beginning to shake with fury, his teeth clenched with a snarl that showed all his pearly whites. I gasped when I detected two teeth a bit longer than the others; his canines. "I will avenge my brother," he growled, and he took another step toward Cain.

Cain held up his hand, and Shayne stopped his advance, like he had hit a force field and wasn't able to take another step. "Settle down, wolf, or I will have no choice but to make this painful for you." It sounded like a promise. "Believe me when I say that I did not kill your brother, merely made my point to not test me. Your brother suffered the consequences for challenging me."

Shayne tried to push against the invisible force, but made it no closer to Cain. "If he's not dead, than where is he?" Shayne shouted.

Cain's wicked smirk returned. "He works for me now." Shayne suddenly went still, his fingers uncurling and falling to his sides. His eyes were as wide as I had ever seen them, his face so pale that he was starting to look like Desmond. He shook his head, backing away from the blond. Cain was amused by his reaction.

"My lord," a voice from behind him spoke. I let out a whimper at the sight of burning red eyes. I clutched tighter to Desmond and tried to hide my face in his chest. The human-looking thing with red eyes spoke quickly and quietly to Cain, and then he left.

Cain turned his attention back to us. "My father is awaiting our arrival. Shall we be on our way soon?" It didn't sound like he was really asking.

"Desmond, what is going on?" I whispered into his shirt, too scared to look at the angelic image of Cain. He didn't reply, and that's when I looked up. His eyes were pointed at Cain, but his eyes were sad. "Desmond?" I asked in a louder voice. He still wouldn't look at me.

"Desmond, Grace is asking you a question. Are you simply going to disregard her? Some kind of caretaker you are," Cain began. "And I thought you would keep your side of the bargain. Though, for the most part, I guess you did. Her powers have finally awakened, and I can't wait to observe what else she has in store." That statement made Desmond's whole body tense.

I loosened my hold on his shirt. "Desmond, what is this guy talking about?" I asked with a shaky voice.

Cain chimed along, "Yeah, Desmond, what am I talking about? You of all people would know. You were the one after all, to come up with that splendid plan of yours. Remember our little agreement. You capture Grace and find her powers, and your contract would be terminated. You would no longer have any association with me. This would be so much easier for Grace to comprehend if you hadn't obliterated her memories." Desmond gasped, and Cain's smile grew wider. Cain continued. "What? You didn't think I wasn't going to find out, did you? Silly Desmond, you should know better than to keep nasty little secrets from me—especially ones concerning my future wife."

I snorted. "I would never marry a creep like you. You may look all angelic, but I know you're the Devil in disguise."

Cain burst into laughter, and it made all three of us tense. "Not a bad analogy, Grace. Your words are more precise than you may believe." I clutched tighter on to Desmond. This wasn't happening. If it was happening, why did it have to be me? Was it just because of some stupid powers I had? If this was what it was leading to, I would rather not have them at all. Cain gestured for the door. "Now, shall we be on our way? I am sure you have so much to remember about me. In fact, Grace, would you come here for a moment?" he asked, extending his hand out to me. I began to shake my head, but as soon as the thought of never going anywhere near him, my body went against me. Like a controlled doll, I took my clutched hands from Desmond and began to slowly make my way toward Cain. I struggled against each step I could, but it was no use. Desmond was reluctant to release me, and I screamed in my head for him to stop me from going closer to this crazy and evil person.

My eyes were wide with terror as I reached Cain. I stood before him, unable to move or speak. He lifted his hand, and just as he was to touch my forehead, he looked into my eyes and said, "Hate burns in all of us." And then his fingers touched my forehead. A burst of light shot from his fingertips, and I was suddenly on the ground, writhing in pain.

Thousands of quick flashes burst in my sight, even though my eyes were closed. Thousands, millions, and even more moments were flashing in my sight before me. My whole life up until now flashed before my eyes. The memories of my loved ones from my true world, of my parents and their crying faces as I watched them on the television, all of the pain and happiness I had ever felt. It was all too much to endure, and it happened within seconds. I screamed, I cried, and I wanted to laugh, for it was all so much to take in at one time. So many emotions smashed into me at one time. The memories just kept coming, and when I thought that I was going to lose consciousness from the massive amount of information, it stopped with the last memory I had before they all had been erased. Desmond, his face somewhat emotionless, but I could see the sadness in his eyes as he spoke, "_You'll thank me later._"

I opened my eyes, and my face was stained with tears. It hadn't been more than a few seconds, but it had felt like hours of pain, happiness, and experience. Cain was kneeling next to me. Shayne was against the wall, still in a trance of disbelief from the information of his brother. Desmond was looking at the ground, his expression miserable. Before I knew what I was doing, I lifted my arm to slap Cain, only he had anticipated this action of mine. I cried even harder, but my glare never faltered. How had I been so naïve? It made me furious that I had been so foolish as to fall for such tricks, time after time.

I struggled against Cain's hold, the person who I had grown to hate most in this world, even though I knew it was futile. Through my memories I had learned that Cain was not to be dealt with, especially when it came to power. He was the devil's son, and he had kept his reputation with power. I stopped struggling against his hold on my wrist and looked back to Desmond. He was still refusing to look at me. I cried harder. I had no power to fight Cain as he brought me close to him and encircled me in his arms.

"Shhhh," he cooed in my ear, but it did not make me content—it made me cry harder. That was when Desmond lost it.

"I cannot let you take her," Desmond said quickly.

Cain looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? And do you plan on stopping me?" he challenged.

Desmond finally lifted his head and straightened his posture. "I can't stand to see her go through this all over again. So, I will challenge if the need be."

Cain shook his head while doing one of those 'tsk, tsk' sounds with his lips. "Desmond, Desmond, Desmond, what would your dear fiancée think of this?" Desmond gasped again, as if he had forgotten all about this person. I had gasped even louder, and my body was suddenly frozen. I was no longer breathing. Cain continued. "Isn't that the motive of why you made the deal with me—to be free of me forever more so that you may have a normal life with her? Or has Grace made you think twice about your decision to marry? Jezebel would be very disappointed. She has been waiting so impatiently for your return."

I couldn't handle it any longer. I closed my eyes, doing my best to block out the words I was hearing, but the ones I had already heard resonated in my mind, stabbing me in the heart over and over again. More tears slid down my cheeks. Cain wiped them with his thumb, and I shuddered in anger. I wanted to slap him, but I knew that, even with the new power I had obtained during those few seconds, it would be useless. Ice surrounded my heart in those few seconds, and felt the numbness spread through my whole being.

"What is the matter, Desmond? You appear so shocked. You did not forget about your fiancée, did you?" Cain sighed loudly, shaking his head. "This will be a very awkward reunion." He smiled then, turning his attention to Desmond. "I cannot wait for it." My tears had stopped flowing by that point. I was frozen, inside and out. I could no longer feel. I was a great nothingness. Cain picked me up, carrying me in his arms. "Let us get moving," he said, turning and walking out the door. He carried me down the steps of the stairs, and there at the bottom were Dawn and Ivan, looking more frightened than I had ever seen them.

"Grace?" Dawn said my name in a panicked voice, taking a step toward Cain and me. Ivan grabbed her shoulders, holding her back.

Cain smiled. "You two may come with us, if you wish. I am sure Grace would appreciate the company." He looked back, at the top of the stairs. "Desmond and Shayne will be coming with us as well," he said, and then walked past the two fallen angels and out the front door. There was a black limousine waiting for us. Another being with red eyes appeared out of nowhere, opening the door for Cain and me. He bowed as Cain got to the limo and climbed in with me in his arms. The limousine was the biggest I had ever seen. He sat me down on the seat, sitting next to me and putting an arm around my shoulders.

"Do not fret, Grace. All will turn out well in the end. I think you will enjoy the castle, and I hope that you will eventually enjoy my company as well." I didn't say anything, just stared ahead of me with a blank expression. Dawn and Ivan were next to climb into the limo. They both looked terrified. They were holding onto each other, as if they would never let go of their bonded hands. They sat at the other end of the limo, sitting as far from us as they could. Seconds later Shayne climbed into the long car, still very much in a daze. He sat on the side seat, not looking at anything in particular. Desmond finally appeared and followed Shayne's idea, sitting on the other side of the limo from the werewolf. He too was in a daze, but less so than Shayne. His eyes stared at the ground with a sad expression, and for the first time, I felt no remorse.


	27. The Dinner Part 1

**Chapter 27**

The Dinner

Part 1

The ride that felt like forever was silent. No one spoke a word. Dawn stayed glued to Ivan as if she would never leave his lap. Ivan kept a tight hold around her middle. Shayne stared at nothing with a blank face, but I could see in his eyes that he was crushed. And Desmond…I didn't know Desmond anymore. He was like a ghost, sitting on the opposite side of Shayne. I couldn't look at him. He was no longer Desmond to me. I was motionless beside Cain, barely blinking while I stared out the window. Cain had asked Shayne if he had wanted to bring any of his pack. Shayne replied with silence.

Rain had started pouring from the black sky by the time lights started to appear. We were far away from the Beverly Hills looking city. Now we were driving down a paved road with no houses, but plenty of street lights leading our way. Another car followed behind us, one probably full of more monsters.

I felt Cain put his arms around my shoulders again. I had shrugged them off earlier, showing him my obvious dislike of the gesture.

"Grace," he started in a low voice, "I can see your anger radiating off of you. If you continue my father will be amused, which means you will have to endure his company longer than if you pretend to be happy."

I sent him a look from my peripherals. "How do I pretend to be happy when I am obviously not? Whether I pretend or not, I will still be angry on the inside," I said with no emotion. My eyes turned back to the window, disregarding the devil's son completely.

"You can control your aura, Grace," he explained. I continued to ignore him. I knew what irritated him. As unwise as it was, I was going to show him how displeased I was. He continued. "You have the power to control your aura, Grace. You have the gift of taking other's auras and using them. You don't understand what kind of ability that is, Grace. Do not abuse it or ignore it. It will save you much trouble if you use it to your benefit." He then released his arm from around my shoulders. I went back to staring at nothing.

The door of the limousine opened on my side, and a cool wind flushed against my cheeks. Another young looking male vampire or demon with red eyes held out his hand to help me out. I ignored him and got out within a flash, and the red eyed young man didn't seem to care. I had to look up to stare at the sight before me. If I had thought the castle where Desmond had had his birthday was large, this one was huge. In comparison, it was at least twice as large. I looked behind me and saw that black gates surrounded the perimeter, though the perimeter was rather large. In the middle of the circling driveway was a large fountain. It looked just like the old fashion way when people would bring their horse carriages to the front of steps, to drop people off.

"Do you like it?" Cain's voice came from beside. The rain was starting to fall harder and faster, and I had to blink away the water from my eyes while I tried to see the top of the castle. I couldn't. My hair and clothes were soaked by the time I gave up and moved towards the opened, large wooden doors. Two maids held the doors, and their red eyes pierced me with menace. I was pretty popular already, and I had only just entered the castle. By the time I made it inside Shayne and Desmond were making their way up the stairs, both looking like they were dragging their feet the whole time. I looked around me, taking in all of the fancy statues and art that looked centuries old.

Cain appeared beside me again, and he looked just as drenched as I did. I stared at him from the side of my eyes, and I felt a shiver of panic run down my spine. He looked so attractive drenched, water dripping from the ends of his golden locks, and I hated him for it. His eyes turned to me, and mine quickly moved elsewhere.

"Your temperature has risen," he commented. My muscles tensed for half a second, but relaxed just as quickly. "You're not angry, not completely. Your aura is indecisive, as if it can't make up which emotion it should give off." He sounded confused, like he couldn't figure me out entirely.

"Are you talking to inform me of my own emotions, or are you just speaking aloud to annoy me?" I said, and it showed that I wasn't happy.

"Is there a difference between the two?"

"No," I said without a beat. "They both mean the same thing to me."

He smirked. "I thought so." He released a loud breath of air, like he was holding back a laugh. Another maid appeared out of nowhere and bowed to Cain. She was beautiful, just like the rest of the women I had seen in this world. Her brown hair was pinned up, looking elegant. "Eva," he said. "Take Grace and get her prepared for dinner."

I turned my head toward him for the first time and glared. "I can _prepare_ myself," I growled.

"You might have to tie her down," he said with a smirk to Eva. I started walking off and up the large staircase to stop myself from trying to slap him. "She's a bit temperamental, but I am sure you can handle it. Be wary; she is more than what meets the eye," I heard Cain say before I made it to the top of the stairs. Before I took the last step of the stairs, Eva appeared right in front of me. I stopped before I was able to run into her. Her eyes looked up and down me, mentally measuring me. I could tell she didn't approve. I walked around her and continued on my way, though I didn't really know where I was going. I knew from the outside that I could easily get lost in this castle.

"Are you going to pick your own room?" Eva asked, appearing right beside me like magic again.

"Yes. Which room is the furthest from Cain's?" I asked as politely as possible.

"Last door, on the right," she said, bowing slightly.

I shook my head and lifted my hand. "Please, don't bow to me."

She gave a lost look. "But you are the future queen," she said.

"Not willingly. I don't want to be queen. In fact, I don't even want to be in this world," I explained, though I was sure I didn't sound sane.

"So, it is true…," she said more to herself than me. "Desmond did take on the job." I started walking again before I could hear another word. Eva appeared at the door I had chosen and opened it for me before I had gotten there. I walked into the room and immediately wanted to change my mind about my choice. Everything was black and red. The bed was red with a black canopy. Carpets all over the floor were red and black. I could see that even the bathtub in the bathroom was black. Even the closet was black.

"Now," Eva said as she closed the door. Panic struck when I heard her lock the door. "I already know what to do with you." She appeared in front of me, and I took a step back on reflex. An evil glint appeared in her eyes, and before I knew it, I was being forced down in a chair, followed by rope surrounding my entire body. She had literally tied me to the chair.

"Are you serious? Don't you think this is a bit much?" I asked with a bored tone. I knew she wasn't going to release me at this point.

She shrugged her shoulders while she laid her utensils on the counter of the bathroom. "Cain told me to not underestimate you. I just took his advice," she replied and got right to work. This truly was hell.

One Hour and a Half Later

"I am going to tip over from the amount of makeup you have put on my face. The amount of mousse you put in my hair doesn't help either," I complained from my place on the chair I was still tied to.

Eva smiled. "Sorry, but your hair was impossible to curl. If it is going to stay that way, you need a lot of mousse in your hair." Amazingly, Eva was very kind. The first hour I thought she was going to stab me with an eyeliner pencil, but as she continued to tell me about her life in the castle, I felt less and less worried. She had struggled through most of her life. Her parents had neglected her at an early age, and by the time she had turned 16, she had become a thief, stealing things from rare rubies to cheap cars. When she had finally been caught, she was to be sent to life in servitude in the castle, but Cain had convinced his father to reduce the sentence. I had asked what she had to do to payback the kind gesture from Cain, and she had said nothing but to be his maid.

"And now comes the very beautiful dress," she said, walking into the other room to get the dress.

"Don't you think you could untie me, now that we've gotten to know each other over this past hour or so?" I shouted before she walked out of the giant bathroom. She laughed as soon as she walked out the door. She entered again before three seconds had passed. She held up the dress, and I sighed. "I am surprised it's not something more…revealing," I said, inspecting the dress. Eva walked over, and with a simple tug, the ropes loosened and dropped. I stood and stretched.

"Cain has good taste in dresses. He's been helping Desmond's fiancée more than Desmond has." My lips fell into a frown. My eyes dropped to the floor, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. "Grace?" Eva quietly said my name, bending down a bit to get in my eyesight. A cold hand rested on my chest, and it took me a moment to realize it was mine. I had thought I could handle the thought of Desmond already belonging to someone else, but it suddenly hit me harder than ever before. My legs became weak, and I was suddenly kneeling on the cold bathroom floor.

Eva spoke in a fierce voice. "Don't fall apart on me now, Grace. You have earned my respect these past couple of hours; don't break and lose that respect. Pull yourself together." I looked up at the demon I had gotten to know over the past few hours. One hand was placed on her hip, a look of defiance on her face. I looked up at her in admiration. Though I hardly knew this person/ demon, I had bonded with her in a way I had with Dawn. And even Dawn hadn't ever told me to pull myself together. Dawn hadn't gone through what Eva had.

"You're right," I said, my voice cracking once. I took a deep breath and pulled myself to my feet. "I am going to get through this on my own."

She smiled. "I might help here and there. So far I helped making you the prettiest female in the castle. Well, one of the prettiest," she said, flicking her hair and flashing her eyes. I couldn't help but laugh. "Now, put on the dress and let's get down to dinner. We don't want Mr. Grumpy to get mad." I laughed again. I wasn't sure which male she was speaking of, but it didn't matter.

"I must say, I am good," Eva said, inspecting her work.

I twirled around, grabbing the side of the black dress and flipping it with me. "I am not going to lie, I do like this dress."

"Good. Let's get going." Eva had changed within minutes, putting on an elegant and long burgundy dress. She grabbed my hand and led me out the door. I wasn't used to high heels, so she was practically dragging me down the hall. She released my hand when we reached the top of the stairs, disappearing and reappearing at the bottom. "It's nice to be supernatural," she said with an evil smirk, and walked off. I sighed and started making my way down the stairs, using the elegant wood railing to make sure I didn't slip.

A quick intake of breath reverberated through the large castle entranceway. My eyes lifted from the stairs to look at the source of the noise. Cain stood with folded hands in his tuxedo. My breath caught in my throat, but it wasn't because of him; it was because of the vampire standing next to him. Desmond had on an identical tuxedo, only he looked more like a model than Cain.

Cain spoke when I reached the last stair. "You look beautiful, Grace. Words cannot express the beauty you hold." I wished I had a spoon with which to gag myself.

"Where's Shayne?" I asked, not seeing him anywhere in sight.

"He's already awaiting us at the table, as are the two angels," Cain replied. Before we could begin to make our way to the dining hall, a loud shriek so annoying, I had to cover my ears, echoed through the room. A tall and long figured female demon skipped/ ran across the wood floor, making sure we knew she was entering room. Her long black hair flowed behind her like a floating sea, her red eyes glowing with all their glory.

"Baby!" she shouted, and she threw her arms around Desmond, practically knocking him over. He had no choice but to hold her around the middle to keep them both from falling over because of her force. I cringed on the inside. I turned my eyes away before I could see more. I began walking off.

"Darling, that's the wrong way," Cain said.

I turned quickly and walked the other way. As I passed Cain, I grumbled, "Don't call me 'darling'."

He bowed his head. "As you wish, princess," he said quietly. I held in a scream and stomped my way into the dining hall. "Don't you wish to be introduced to Desmond's fiancée, Grace?" Cain asked without really asking. It was more of a demand. I grumbled slightly and reluctantly turned my body to face Desmond and his fiancée. Her red eyes pierced my grey/ blue eyes with such greed and hate that I felt my heart freeze for a moment. This was a picture of true evil standing before me. She clung to Desmond like a tight blanket. Desmond on the other hand was tense and looking slightly annoyed. That made me happy on the inside.

"Hello," she said is a high pitched tone. Was that really her voice? It made her even more intimidating.

"Hi," I whispered back, "I'm Grace." I said politely.

"I know who you are," she snapped back. Nope, we weren't going to get along alright. "I'm Jezebel, Desmond's fiancée." She ended with her lips against his cheek, lightly kissing it. She held out her left hand to show the giant diamond ring on her finger.

"I had no idea," I said with disdain before turning and continuing on my way to the dining table before she could say anything more. Cain made it to the dining room before me and stood at the end of the table, pulling out a chair, gesturing where I was to sit for the course of the meal. As long as it wasn't next to Jezebel, I would be fine.

Shayne was sitting on the other side of the table, his head hanging down like a puppy that had just been scolded. I wanted to comfort him, but right now wasn't the time for comforting. I sat down in the chair Cain had pulled out for me and he pushed me in close to the table.

Dawn was sitting next to me, Ivan on her other side. They were both darting their eyes around the room, like they were waiting for someone to attack them. Dawn's hair was pinned up nicely, a few ribbons dangling down the back. She wore a sparkling red dressed that fit her perfectly. Ivan and Shayne both had tuxes on like the rest of the men.

Jezebel came trotting in, Desmond being dragged behind her like a reluctant dog. She sat down next to Shayne and it made him flinch. She chuckled at his reaction, and that made him look all the more worried. My fists balled beneath the table.

A hand touched mine beneath the table. Cain had taken the head of the table, next to me. He leaned over and whispered, "Cool it, Grace. Jezebel will also be able to sense your anger, and she will take advantage of it."

"I'm counting on it," and it came out just as I had wanted; a threat. Maids began to pour from the back room, which I assumed was the kitchen. They carried plate upon plate to the table. Apparently tonight was a feast. Or maybe this was how Cain and this household ate, which wouldn't surprise me since he was the prince of the Underworld and his father was the King. As if my thought had called him, a dark, strong power wafted into the room. I almost choked on the intensity of it.

"Good evening," his voice echoed through the large dining room like a mist of power. The entire table except me stood as he entered the room. His eyes landed on me, and his smirk grew. "Grace, my soon-to-be daughter in-law, how good to see you again." His voice sent shivers down my spine.

I gulped and nodded my head. Maybe it wasn't so smart of me that I hadn't stood. But the power passed, and my conscience cleared again. He took a seat at the other end of the table, placing at least four seats between him on either side from anyone else. Everyone else sat as soon as he did. The maids bowed to him and brought him a plate when he motioned his hand in the air.

"I see you've brought more guests than first intended, Cain," he said. It was simply observation.

"Yes, it seems they are attached to Grace." Cain replied, and it was a lie. He hadn't really given any of them a choice.

Lucifer nodded his head as he began to cut his steak. "It's best; Grace is in a new place and needs something familiar. None of you mind," he said. It wasn't a question but more of a demand. No one spoke throughout the entirety of the meal, except for Jezebel who was whispering in Desmond's ear and taking glances over her shoulder to me every time she did. I ignored her and quietly ate my meal.

"Now," Lucifer started, setting his napkin on the table. "Grace, I know that you are curious about some things, such as your powers. I will do my best to explain," the long lecture had begun. This dinner was going to be the longest in my life.


End file.
